


Eternal Flame

by LostGirl112



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:40:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 150,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24081439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostGirl112/pseuds/LostGirl112
Summary: Chloe begins to question the signs around her, finding it hard to move on after six months. Lucifer learns of undesirable family news, causing him to return to LA. A new Celestial has come to the City of Angels, stirring up old resentment, worry, and war. Season 5 predictions. Original story posted on FanFiciton
Relationships: Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar
Comments: 112
Kudos: 294





	1. I Need A Favor

She stared at him, dazed and confused. Why would he ask her that? Her heart began to beat faster and shallower. She could feel each beat hum throughout her body, working its way up her temples, around her head, and echoing into her eardrums.

"So, what do you think?" Dan furrowed his brow, trying to read his ex-wife's face. Even though they had only been married for a couple of years, and she was the mother to his only daughter, there were still many times he could not read her. But the one thing evident to him was that her wheels were turning. She was thinking of something in that head of hers.

"Dan, I-" Chloe sat up more alert and cleared her throat to find a stronger voice. "I already have a partner." He looked down at his feet, taking in a deep breath to prepare himself for what he was about to say.

"Look, Chloe, these past six months, working together, I forgot how great of a team we are. So maybe we don't solve as many cases or as fast as you did with Lucifer-" Chloe couldn't meet his eyes at the name. She fixed herself in her office chair uncomfortably, wanting this discussion to end.

Dan reached his hand out onto her desk to grab her attention once more. "I know you two had this thing, this dynamic. But, Chloe, he's not here. He hasn't been here in a long time."

Chloe stood up to grab the evidence box on the edge of her desk, grabbing the pocket holes tightly and Dan continued.

"He's probably off somewhere random in Europe, sleeping his way up the coast. It's what he does. He never took this place seriously; you know that. He got bored and left."

She sucked her lips in, biting them closed. She knew exactly where he was, and it was not Europe. He was not having fun, but she let Dan continue.

"He's not coming back. When are you going to accept that?"

The breath she breathed in through her nose felt thick and unmanageable. Her insides began to turn and twist as the skin around her body tightened. She was standing tall while her body caved in on itself. Releasing her lips from their hold, she released a deep, hoarse voice. "He's my partner."

Dan began to shake his head, not understanding how Chloe could be so blind to the fact that this man was gone for good. "Partner? A partner wouldn't just get up and leave without a trace. No answering phone calls or texts? Maze hasn't seen him; his brother hasn't heard from him. That is how careless and selfish he is. I knew what kind of man he was the moment he walked into this precinct, and he's yet to prove me wrong."

A heavy, burning weight worked its way up through her stomach toward her head. She could feel her face radiate a steaming heat and wondered if Dan could see how burning red this feeling felt. Her jaw clenched down as she tried to avoid the stinging sensation in her eyes.

Why was today so hard? All she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts, but Dan was making that difficult lately, especially now. Especially today. Chloe painted on a tight smile, and from what she could manage, sincere eyes. "Maybe you're right. Us being partners- It's just something I have to think about. Can I have some time?"

She now focused her attention on the evidence room beyond Dan's shoulders. If she could just get there and close the door, she could take a deep breath and release whatever was building up inside of her. Just as she stepped to the right of her desk, Officer O'Connell appeared at her side. "Do you need me to take care of that, Detective?"

Dan took the box out of her hands and gave it off to the officer, who was collecting other case files for filing that night. The change of guard was beginning to take place. The night crew slowly crept in, taking their place at their desks as others wrapped up their things for the night. Chloe had been docking more hours these past months to keep herself distracted- more than enough hours that she could leave a little early today.

"I think I'm going to head out for the night, I guess." The car. Yes, she can be alone in her car. Blast the music she wanted, singing at the top of her lungs while she took the scenic route home. And then once she was back at her home, she would check herself in the mirror, wipe away any lasting tears, pinch her cheeks and put on a big smile for Trixie. She just wanted to go home.

Chloe gripped the steering wheel tightly as she sat in the dim lighting of the parking garage. Dan wasn't a fan of Lucifer; everyone knew that. The longer he was away, the more sense Dan made. Her heart felt like it was going to drop out of her chest at the idea of moving on- accepting that he was gone. But maybe it was time to find her way to acceptance.

Chloe randomly selected an evening drive themed playlist on Spotify and pulled out of the garage to join the other citizens of LA in their evening commute home. Light guitar strokes with a soft drum beat began to play out, but soon Chloe's shocked eyes darted to her stereo as the Beatles sang out, " _She's got the devil in her heart, but her eyes they tantalize."_

Feeling her shoulders tighten, she pressed the next song. Upbeat distant drumming began to pick up with faded screams. Her eyes scanned back to the radio to read "Sympathy for The Devil" by The Rolling Stones skim across her screen. Chloe released a long sigh through her nose, trying to focus harder on the road. A mix of nerves and guilt turned in her stomach as she remembered her morning.

For the first time in a very long time, she did not dream of him last night. Most nights, she dreamt of that night on his balcony. Sometimes, he changed his mind, and he stayed with her, and sometimes it was left with her standing alone, looking over the night sky of LA. If she didn't dream of that night, then she didn't dream. It was just darkness.

But last night she had dreamt that she was walking through tall walls of black ice. Snow fell slowly around her as she walked barefoot through the darkness. The ice walls had doors sporadically placed apart, but she knew she could not go through. One door was wide open but completely blocked by the ice. Chloe touched her hand to the wall. It was so cold it created a burning sensation on her skin, but she did not remove it. She saw her friends in her living room alongside her daughter. Linda held her new son tightly against her chest as he slept. Trixie and Ella practiced a dance they saw on Tik Tok as Maze watched in disgust, filing her nails into pointed daggers. She wanted to be with them, but there was no way through the thickness of the ice.

Clicking noise from around the corner took Chloe's attention away from the door. Continuing on her dark path, she came face to face with a large German Shepherd dog waiting for her patiently. He turned his back to her and began down a split path as his nails clacked onto the iced floor. The dog stopped a few paces down and looked back for Chloe to follow.

The longer they walked, the warmer she felt. Her feet slowly began to sense small, coarse beads between her toes, and just like that, she was submerged on a beach in bright daylight. She squinted her eyes at the intense sun beating down at her, and when she adjusted, she realized what beach she was on. Chloe stood only a few inches away from the shoreline, confused. The water was still and glass-like, the beach was deserted, and she felt like she was stuck in slow motion. When she tried to move any part of her body, it felt weighed down by large sandbags. An out of place breeze swept through her hair and brought with it a feeling of warmth, safety, and peace.

Chloe laid in the middle of her bed wide awake, staring at a small notch in her ceiling as her fingers fiddled with her gold bullet necklace. She was always a woman of facts and knew not dreaming of him was nothing to be worried about. Since Lucifer had been in her life, he unlocked this mindset of listening to your emotions and following your intuition, even when the facts said the opposite. And right now, she couldn't help but feel scared that she was starting to forget him. She tightly closed her eyes, trying to remember the shape of his face, his smile, his eyes, anything—just darkness.

Coming down the stairs, Chloe watched as Trixie ran out from her bedroom, throwing her backpack over her shoulders and quickly tossing her hair into a high ponytail. "Hi, Mom. Bye, Mom." Chloe picked up a bowl with an inch of milk and two cheerios lingering on the coffee table in front of the blaring TV.

She double looked at an episode of the Powerpuff Girls that was left on. The sisters were fighting a villain called HIM, but one could easily see it was the devil. This past year had been eye-opening for her. But she finally understood the weight Lucifer had on his heart. She realized how wrong people were to see him as evil or blame him for their actions. He was living in the narrative society placed on him.

Picking up her remote, she flipped a channel up to continue the background noise as she gathered her things for the day. A rerun episode of Supernatural came back from commercials, and before she could step foot into her kitchen, she heard, "Sam is Lucifer's vessel." Spinning on her heels, she picked up the remote once more and flipped to CNN.

The reporter with a navy blazer and hair that contained too much hairspray to give it the effect of plastic spoke out with a nasal voice. "A pastor in Iowa who was arrested for administering death threats to three women in his church is saying 'the Devil made him do it.'"

And with a simple click of a red button, the tv was off. Her commute wasn't any better. The only two times her commute was slow was in front of two separate billboards. The first billboard promoted a hockey game this weekend between the LA Kings and the New Jersey Devils. The electronic board burst into hell's flames to incinerate the other team's fate. Chloe took a deep breath. These were starting to become too coincidental. "It's just a hockey game. I'm reading too much into it."

The second stretch of traffic was unexpected. She typically cut through a neighborhood to avoid the busy transit, but this morning a crew was on site to fill potholes. This forced her to take a turn she typically wouldn't, and traffic was not forgiving that morning. No one was letting her in. She leaned back, frustrated, and looked up at the second billboard that morning. A local church promoted their congregation with the psalm "He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings, you will find refuge. 91:4."

Her hair stood up on her arms, and a chilling prickle worked its way down her spine. She immediately remembered the day she saw Lucifer's real face for the first time. Pierce's ultimate betrayal had caused her to be unconscious, but she remembered a faint glimmer of white surrounding her as he held her. And then they were magically on the rooftop. A car hammering down on their horn to grab her attention took her out of her trance.

Chloe finally concluded that these were no coincidences during her weekly lunch with Ella. Ella was the only person capable of eating a turkey sub and testing DNA simultaneously. She was comparing two sets of DNA from potential suspects Chloe and Dan had met with recently. When she closed the top cap of the machine, the digital numbers at the base began to malfunction. "Just needs a little love tap, that's all."

Ella turned the machine toward Chloe and shook the chord in the back and pounded her fist twice in the base. The digital numbers stopped rotating and began to flash 666 in three blinks. Chloe dropped her salad slowly to the counter and got out of her seat, staring hard at the three identical numbers. "Did you see that?"

Ella popped her head back out from the machine and looked down. "See what?" The numbers rotated once again in think mode and came to clearing at zero.

"There it is," Ella said triumphantly. A small hum vibrated from the machine as the samples spun quickly in circles. For the rest of her lunch, Chloe stared at the machine waiting once more, but the numbers never appeared again.

Chloe had finally reached home and stared at the movement from inside her house. She dropped her car's sun visor and put on a big smile to see how realistic it was. It was good enough to pass Trixie and Maze, but maybe not Linda. Shutting off her ignition, Chloe stared curiously at her phone. There was a 100% chance she was just going insane and seeing what she wanted to see, but it couldn't have been a coincidence that all of this was happening today. She'll play one more song. That's it. All Day and All of the Night by The Kinks.

Her shoulders sank disappointed, and her bottom lip naturally came out to pout. Maybe she was just seeing things. Walking into the front door, Chloe was taken back by the guests in her house. Trixie was texting friends in one hand and eating a cheese stick in the other at the kitchen counter with Maze, who sucked on the rim of a bottle of red wine. Linda was on the couch, doing Ella's make-up in bright blues and purples. "Hey…"

Maze gave Chloe some warning eyes before she walked deeper into her home. "What's going on?"

Linda popped up from her seat with so much energy, and it made Chloe take a step back. "Surprise girls night!"

Ella admired her overdone make-up in a hand mirror. "It was hard not saying anything at lunch."

Linda rushed forward, taking Chloe's bags and jacket. "Lux is having a throwback Thursday night."

Chloe looked over at Maze skeptical. "Lux does that now?" Maze kicked her combat boots off from the counter and joined the group in the living room.

"It does when the club owner's friend won't stop breathing down her neck for one." Maze took over full ownership of Lux in Lucifer's absence and dropped her bounty hunter leads down to a few a week. It was harder, in the beginning, to visit the nightclub, but Maze was hard to say no to. So hard that when Chloe woke up one morning, she found her living room packed with Maze's boxes. She moved in overnight with no discussion. It only took a couple of days for Maze to get back into her old routine with them. When Chloe asked why she decided to make the move when Linda had just had Charlie, all she could say was, "He would want it this way. You and Trixie will be the safest with me. I'll make sure of it." And they were roommates again.

"I don't know if I'm really up for a girl's night, honestly."

Ella jumped up from the couch with more energy than Linda. "No! You have to. It's been ages since we all went out together. And I mean _all_ _together_." Even though she was trying to rally the group, there was an obvious hurt in her eyes when she looked back at Maze.

Maze had not been the best influence on Chloe these past couple of months. They found comfort and solace in drinking together. Both were hurting at the loss of a friend and partner. Although they did not always see eye to eye or had a lot in common, they shared their relationship with Lucifer. He had left Maze behind when he traveled back to the underworld, but she was not as upset as she thought. Maze knew the hard decision he took on leaving everyone behind, but she knew she had to stay and protect. They didn't know if there was going to be another rebellion with his return; or if some followers stayed on earth waiting for his return to have their own fun. But on their impromptu private nights out, they could both release their weight of loneliness and enjoy their time with someone who could understand without talking about it. Linda would want to talk about it. If Ella were aware of everything they were experiencing, she would want to talk too.

Linda put on two oversized hot pink earrings excitedly. "There's going to be a mix of 80s and 90s music. We can just dance and talk in normal people's voices. No baby talk. And I mean no baby talk. Charlie does not exist tonight, okay? Got it?"

"I don't know if I can leave Trixie tonight."

Trixie's head shoots up from her phone. "Yes, you can. I have to redo my paper on Joan of Arc, so that's my exciting night."

Chloe walked into the kitchen to see the F on her daughter's paper. "How did you get an F. You put so much research into this."

Trixie looked a little resentful at Maze. "Yeah, well, Maze read my paper and had some edits."

Chloe looked back to Maze for answers. "I just told her what _really_ happened back then."

Ella looked confused. "Wait, what really happened?"

Linda held her hand up to draw attention back to her while she closed her eyes tightly, raising her voice. "Stop! We are doing girls night tonight. I pumped all day just so I could have a drink. A drink! Do you know how much this angel baby drinks? More than a human can even produce."

Ella held her hands to her heart in awe of Linda's words. "Awe, your baby is an angel."

Linda ignored the fact Ella didn't understand the full context of her frustration. "I have only been around my baby and patients. My head is going to explode. Explode! We are going!"

Maze took another swig from her bottle of wine and turned to Chloe. "I plan to drink double my weight in whiskey tonight."

And that's what clicked with Chloe. "Okay. I'm in then."

* * *

For a Thursday night, there was actually a great turn out for the themed night. Linda and Ella danced in circles in the middle of Lux's dance floor. Linda's hands motioned like crazy in the air, and Chloe laughed from the bar watching Linda in her element. Maze filled up Chloe's shot glass for the third time from behind the bar.

"I have to give it to Linda. Throwback maybe a Thursday regular at Lux," Maze said, looking impressed with the crowd. Both cheered their small glasses, slammed it to the counter, and threw the whiskey back. Chloe knew she was one more shot away from that light and careless feeling. The feeling she started to look forward to on her hard days, like today. Her lips tingled as she placed her glass down for another refill.

"Can I ask you a question?" Chloe screamed over the bar as a remixed version of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" began, and the girls dancing cried in victory. "Do you believe in signs? I mean- I know you don't believe, but are signs a thing?"

Maze filled their shot glasses again. "Signs?"

"You know, like things are placed in someone's path from… you know who." Chloe awkwardly pointed up to the ceiling. Maze's grin already told Chloe the answer she didn't want to hear.

"Oh, _those_ signs." She released a hard laugh before throwing back her shot. "People give that guy way too much credit. Do you honestly think he has the time to place small messages in random places for everyone? No. People just want to see what they want to see. Simple as that. You, humans, are always looking for the meaning behind something. Just take things for what they are."

Chloe slowly nodded, accepting that her day was merely that. She was reaching for something that wasn't there. She stared down at her shot, trying to ignore the feeling of a broken heart. Maze watched her cautiously. Through all of the times they've gone out together, they've never really talked about what's brought them back together. Even though Maze was better at masking her pain, it was evident to her that Chloe was drowning. The night Lucifer left, everyone soon learned of his departure from Chloe coming down from the penthouse suite and joining the group at the bar with tears in her eyes. All she could say is that he was gone and that he left to protect everyone, but the group could tell more happened that she was not planning to share.

Maze pushed the shot closer to Chloe. "What have you been seeing?"

Chloe threw her shot back, shaking her head in denial. "Nothing. It's nothing."

Maze knew there was more but didn't want to have that conversation here. A girl crying at the bar was bad for the business she told herself. She quickly filled the shot glasses for the last time.

Maze raised her glass to cheers Chloe's drink, "To us." That made Chloe smile a little as she accepted it and felt the comforting warm liquid run down her body.

The DJ transitioned the music to "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany. The upbeat synthesizer moved Maze to take her leather jacket off and come from around the bar. She rubbed up on Chloe, trying to get her to move to the beat. Chloe finally gave in and began to bob her head to the side. Maze leaned over into Chloe's ear, "we're doing this." Maze took Chloe's arm and pulled her onto the dance floor and threw her to Linda and Ella jumping up and down in the middle. They screamed and hugged each other as if they had been long distant friends seeing each other for the first time.

Chloe closed her eyes and just moved to the music, not thinking of how she looked or what people thought of her. Her arms glided up into the air, and her hips swiveled around in circles. The stress from her day slowly vanished. By the time the next Spice Girls song came on, Chloe felt light with numb cheeks. She laughed, watching Maze jump around playfully with Linda and Ella became her new dance partner, reenacting the Wannabe dance.

As they moved around the floor, Chloe found herself not where she started but didn't mind being closer to the DJ. She felt a shock through her body as the lights dimmed, and a dusty rose hue filled the nightclub. The comfort of whiskey disappeared, and she felt her body wake from its trance. She felt like she was stuck in slow motion as the crowd danced around her and cheered at the next song. A slow synthesizer rang out its three chords, and the crowd slowed it's dancing, grabbing their nearest friend.

Linda screamed out, "I love this song" and grabbed Maze tightly, forcing an even sway back and forth. As much as Maze hated this, she leaned her head down on her friend and allowed the sway to happen. " _Looking from a window above, it's like a story of love_." Chloe felt a sting in her eyes as she closed them tightly. When she opened them once more, everyone was gone.

An open hand appeared before her waiting for it to be held. She didn't need to look up to know who's hand it was. She slid her fingers into his, and he pulled her close to him. Tears streamed down the outside of her cheeks and as she looked up at him, every detail about him came into place so easily. She tried to hold in her sob as his lips parted into a smile. She didn't forget him. She couldn't. Her fingers traced the back of his black velvet suit, and she accepted this moment with him and rested her chin on his shoulder, closing her eyes. Like waking up from a good dream, Chloe continued to feel the tears stream down her cheeks, and the song continued as she opened her eyes back to the crowd.

Ella watched as Linda and Maze swayed to "Only You" by Yaz and wanted a dance partner. As she looked around the thick crowd of slow dancers, Chloe was nowhere to be found.

* * *

The elevator doors opened to a dark penthouse suite with a single stream of light from the moon on the center floor. Every piece of furniture was draped in white cloth- abandoned. The glass bar that was typically light in amber light was empty and colorless. The bookcases were beginning to collect a noticeable inch of dust on the edges. But Chloe ignored all of this and headed straight to the balcony to view the rolling lit hills of LA from above.

She gripped the balcony railing harder and took in a deep breath as a breeze passed by tickling her shoulder blades with the tips of her hair. She licked her lips and cleared her throat, looking up at the night's sky.

"I've been seeing things today, and as much as I want to believe Maze, I can't. I can't believe that it's all a coincidence. Before I knew the truth, Lucifer always talked about how his dad had a plan for him. A plan he refused to follow. But he still ended up down there- the last place he wanted to be."

Chloe took her pointer finger to the curve below her eye to wipe away the pool of tears.

"I don't know if this all part of the plan or if you can even hear me. But if you're up there, God, I need a favor. I need you to find a way to bring him home. He doesn't belong there, not anymore. He sacrificed himself to protect everyone. For so long, I fought with myself over what kind of man he was, but now I understand that he did so much to protect me, to protect a lot of people. Please, bring him home."

She didn't know what she was looking for, but she waited. The longer she stood in silence, the angrier she became. "You owe me! You cannot keep taking away the people I love. You took my father from me." Chloe grabbed her stomach as she released a small sob. "It's not fair you take Lucifer too. You owe me this."

She stood her ground, staring at the night's sky. The tears finally stopped, and her face grew cold from the breezes that passed through her wet cheeks. Chloe was defeated and drained, but she stood in the silence anyways. There was just silence.


	2. Hell is Not For Sale

Carl Gould had an amazing life. He was a respected anesthesiologist throughout LA, and surgeons would always request working with him when they had the opportunity. Working his way up the food chain at the hospital was easier than he thought as long as he gave a good ear to the ones that needed to vent and a joke to the ones that needed a better day. Everyone loved him.

He met his wife Camila at a small restaurant in Brentwood, and he could honestly say it was love at first sight. He returned to that restaurant twice a week, always sitting in her section. She was not responsive to his teasing and flirting at first. Camila typically fell for the men that looked like they implanted kegs into their biceps and tanned until they matched the color of the grand canyon. Carl was short, fair, and bald. He was always easy to spot in her section as his head reflected the lights from above. But the way he knew how to work a room, the confidence he brought with him, and his bright blue eyes grew on her.

Within a year, they were married, and within another year, Camila gave birth to Carl's one true love, Mariana. She grew up to have the strong-willed mind of her mother and the humor of her father. He gave her whatever she wanted, even though she never asked for anything, and he supported her in whatever she wanted to venture. Every year was a new sport or new club until she finally found her two passions- equestrianism and singing. Carl never missed a single competition and attended a least one of her horse jumping practices a week. Mariana sang around the house, and Carl would tell her over and over again that she was going to be famous one day with such an angelic voice, but she refused to try out for musicals or choir as she enjoyed the hobby for herself. He never knew where she got her humbleness from.

His life was perfect until the day Camila wanted to surprise Carl with a custom basketball court in their backyard for their anniversary. As the team broke ground that morning, the excavator lifted fresh mounds of dirt, broken chunks of rock, and two sets of human remains.

The bones belonged to a Sienna Bowman, a 26-year-old mathematician whose true passion was helping students break the stigma of math and statistics through different creative teachings. Sienna was found mingled with the bones of an unknown male infant. It wasn't long until LAPD was on the scene, investigating every lead. It took the team four weeks to arrest the main suspect in the case, Carl Gould. Through his 16-hour interrogation, Carl finally broke to the detectives that he had an affair with the tutor. Sienna was helping his daughter and became a frequent guest in their household. She became a new challenge for him.

When Mariana's grades increased, Sienna's services were no longer needed, and just like that, she was locked out from the home and from Carl. He had his fun and moved on living his best life until she returned one night with a baby in her arms. Camila had taken Mariana to a girl's spa weekend in Malibu, giving Carl enough time to piece together how he was going to get himself out of this situation. He refused to acknowledge, touch, or even look at the baby. Sienna refused any amount of money thrown to her. All she wanted was Carl to love and provide for the baby as much as he did for Mariana, but he couldn't. The Sunday morning the women of the house were expected to return, Carl found Sienna still in the guest house, refusing to leave. Carl reports not remembering what happened that morning, that he blacked out. But when he came to, he just remembers Sienna unconscious on the floor with deep bruising around her neck and an infant crying incessantly.

Once Carl's lawyer joined him, his story changed, and he refuted anything said before. He blamed LAPD for putting words in his mouth and taking advantage of his mental state as he was arrested after a 24-hour shift at the hospital. Carl Gould went to trial. Carl Gould was found guilty. Carl Gould hanged himself that night in his temporary cell.

When the jury read his guilty verdict, he immediately turned to look at his Mariana, and he saw it. Her eyes were filled with doubt, disgust, and hatred. There was no hiding his guilt anymore. He did this for her and his family and their future, but she didn't know that, and she didn't know the man that stood in front of her. He had lost his most prized possession. Those eyes were the last thoughts he had as he stepped off from his cot, and it was now his hell.

Three months ago, this door appeared at the base of the black, rigged slate wall that ran for an eternity. New paths were created every day, and there was always someone new in the gates of hell waiting for a warm welcome. As Lucifer strolled the different paths to look busy, there was something about this door that made him stop, take a few steps back, and stare. It was similar to the feeling of walking under a cooling air vent on a hot summer's day. He placed his hands in his pockets and tilted his head to the side, studying the door. Typically, he would sense the culprit behind it, have a little background in their history, and know their deepest fears- nothing.

He walked into a familiar, filled courtroom and took a seat at one of the empty chairs in the last back row. Lucifer unbuttoned his blazer and folded one leg over the other to get comfortable. This is what he did now. Since he decided to come back as Hell's Ruler, he didn't participate as much as he had before with some of the residents. His followers continued with their torture and enjoyed the feeling that everything was back in its rightful place. Lucifer took out his anger and frustration on them instead of the newcomers, but his demons would just laugh and accept it, knowing it was just like old times. Now, when the demons would see Lucifer enter a door, they didn't realize Lucifer would only take a seat and watch the hell scene play out- no adding extra touches or harming the newcomer himself.

He started to piece together the case and began to assume that this was Carl Gould's hell. It was apparent he was guilty, anyone could see that with some of the evidence pinned on the corkboard next to the judge. Everyone in the courtroom was dressed in dull grays and blacks, but one girl was dressed in a vibrant red sundress with a white flower clipped into her thick black braid. Carl would continue to glance at her over his shoulder to give reassuring smiles. She was practically a younger clone of the woman next to her, who kept nervously spinning her wedding ring with her thumb. His daughter meant a lot to him.

The plaintiff attorney rose from her chair and called the final witness of the trial before their closing statements. "I'd like to call the lead Detective on this case to the stand, Detective Chloe Decker." Lucifer practically fell out of his seat as his head whipped around the courtroom to see what direction she would be coming from. She was just two rows in front of him. How did he not recognize her slicked-back tight bun? His mouth went dry, and he could feel himself starting to sweat. He just had to get a look at her face as she walked away from the crowd and through the gate, but he honestly didn't mind the back view either.

She approached the bailiff, recited her witness oath to the court, and took her seat at the witness stand. Lucifer stood immediately, snapping his fingers, freezing the room in place. He slowly approached the front of the courtroom, focusing on her pursed lips. The edge of his mouth curved up into a faint smile as he knew she did this when she was nervous. He froze at a time when her eyes looked down and away, but he still enjoyed his view. He had missed her face.

Lucifer ignored the stinging in his eyes as he moved to the side of the booth. The light gleaming in from the courtroom high windows created a glow effect around her profile. All he wanted was to reach out and touch her, but he knew he couldn't. The only person that could feel his touch in the courtroom was Carl; everyone else was just a memory, a fear, a ghost.

Since that day, Lucifer visited Carl's hell every day, sometimes twice. He slowly worked his way up to sitting in the empty chair on the aisle next to Chloe. On his ninth visit, Lucifer took the time to listen to the entire case without distractions. Now, three months later, he could mouth verbatim his detective's testimonial.

But his last couple of visits were starting to change. Chloe's walk to the stand, and her witness statement started to grow shorter and shorter. Lucifer started to think maybe it was his ill-timed entrance on the loop, but it wasn't. Carl began to change his own hell to now be the jury reading out the guilty verdict over and over again. Each time his Mariana reacted the same way with the same eyes.

Today, Lucifer walked in and got comfortable in the chair next to his detective. He looked to his right at her worried eyes, watching the attorneys in the front shuffle their papers and share information with their first chairs. He smiled in this comfortable silence as this is what his "good old times" felt like. A judge requested the jury to read their verdict to the court, and this did not sit well with Lucifer.

"Oh, no-no-no. Detective, it seems dear old Carl is pulling you from the spotlight. I can't have that." Before Lucifer could stand to introduce himself to hell's resident formally, he noticed a new movement to his right. Chloe had tilted her head and moved it closer towards his as if she were leaning in to hear a secret. A very small smile was present on her lips, and her left hand slowly made its way closer to his, but they never touched. His mouth was left agape as he watched her. He doesn't remember her ever doing this before. How was this even possible?

He released a low voice for only her to hear, "can you hear me?" Her eyes wandered in his direction, but she never completely matched his eyes. She took a deep silent sigh and sank back in her chair, watching the jury make their verdict. He looked around the room to see if any extra cast member in this courtroom could see him, too, and then he remembered. For every time he's been in this hell, he's never been in this exact position for the jury read. He typically found a better seat to watch Carl scream out for his daughter as he's pulled away and to see Chloe's full face of satisfaction.

Had she done this every time to the empty chair next to her, and he never noticed? He whispered out her name to her, and she closed her eyes, feeling for something on her chest. Chloe fiddled nervously with her gold necklace as the judge completed the verdict. Carl was asked to make any last statements, but he was speechless. Triumphantly, Chloe looked down at the empty chair next to her before pulling her items together and exiting the courtroom.

Lucifer spun around in his chair, watching her exit as Carl's screams continued out for Mariana in the distance. Did she somehow know this was going to be Carl's hell? Was she saving that empty chair for him? Lucifer shook his head of any hope that crept in and tried to tell himself that he was just seeing things. When he turned back in his seat, the courtroom was reset. The jury walked in from a side door to read their verdict, but when he looked to his right, Chloe was not sitting there. A tall man replaced her and continued to stare curiously at the jury. Lucifer walked up and down the aisle, trying to find his detective, but she wasn't anywhere to be found.

"No." He felt a strong force take hold of his insides as he paced the aisle. He ran to the front of the courtroom chairs and scanned harder, but she was not there. His face steamed with rage, and he felt his eyes turn a burning red. Kicking his way through the front gate, Lucifer threw the defendant's table to the side and grabbed Carl by his collar. The courtroom wood paneling cracked as Lucifer drove Carl's body into the wall with force. "Where is she!" Carl's feet kicked around as Lucifer raised him higher off the ground. The more Carl changed his hell to his greatest fear; the small acting players began to disappear. His detective disappeared.

"I don't know who you're talking about. Who are you?" Carl's head whipped back and forth, looking for someone to help him, but no one gave a second glance. Lucifer rolled his head, transforming his face to its truest self.

"Bring her back," Carl screamed as his eyes opened on the man covered in burnt flesh, muscle, and bone.

Chains started to clang against the walls from outside the door as a gust of wind howled through the confined halls. Lucifer dropped Carl to the floor at the faint smell of sulfur creeping into the courtroom. He didn't have a lot of visitors, that was for sure, but he knew when a celestial being broke the realm, the smell of sulfur was present. He had recently summoned Azrael to visit him for a favor that was not returned. That small feeling of hope crept back in, hoping she may have changed her mind.

Lucifer joined the black slated hallway following the wind. As he walked closer to the epicenter of hell, the smell of sulfur grew stronger. At the base of his throne, gray smoke funneled up to grow alongside the wall and scattered as it hit the top of his chair. The smoke on the ground cleared, leaving behind a classical grand piano, and Lucifer stood in the silence confused. He looked around him, waiting for one of his brothers or sisters to appear, but he was left alone.

The same rage he felt a few minutes ago in the courtroom came back as he looked up to the break of sunlight in the gray sky. "This was your doing, wasn't it?" The gray clouds forced closed, leaving Lucifer feeling even more trapped. He circled the piano, wishing he had a glass of scotch in his hand. "You took her out of that hell on purpose. And what? Trade it with this?"

He lowered his voice as he started to murmur to himself, watching his reflection in the lifted top of the piano. "He's punishing me. I come back here as he wanted, and he still finds a way." Deep down, he knew his father couldn't change a person's hell, but it was easier to blame him. Lucifer's fingers had a mind of their own as they traced the edge of the piano leading to the black and white keys. "It's probably out of tune anyway."

The fingers on his right hand spread wide as he pressed down on the keys. The piano released a D minor chord that echoed down the halls. He looked up surprised at the sound as it continued to bounce from black slated wall to black slated wall. Lucifer stepped back reluctantly waving his fingers back and forth. "No. Nope. Not going to happen." His father didn't just give gifts. There was always more to it- a debt to pay. Why was the big god almighty now allowing music in hell?

Lucifer turned on his heels to storm away from the piano and Carl's hell, but something stopped him. He clenched his jaw down as he tried to find the upper hand in this. His father wouldn't give a gift to him specifically unless he felt guilty about something- unless he knew he was in the wrong. A devilish grin slowly grew across his lips as he thought about his father admitting to being in the wrong. He walked back toward the piano and pulled out the bench beginning to play random chords until a song came to form.

The somber ballad melody began to resonate off the walls drowning out the door slams, screams, and cries around him. The more he played, the more emotional he felt as the chords hummed through his body. He had been trying so hard to get out of this place. He thought he found a loophole, but no one could help him. He called out to his sisters first, but Azrael was the only one to appear.

She wanted to help her brother, truly, but for what she did as an angel, taking over as the leader of hell wouldn't make sense. She had to be on earth, walking with the humans to help them on their journey to the afterlife. Lucifer knew she wanted to help, and but it wasn't the right fit. It didn't stop him from contacting his brothers, even the ones he did not want to see. Someone had to be willing to help. His gut told him to give up, but he couldn't. He continued to call for them and wait patiently.

He was willing to do whatever he could to get back to his rightful home. To see her. He pressed harder into the keys as his fingers ran up and down the keyboard. He had to have hope that he would see her again, even if it meant it was in someone's hell. He didn't forgive himself for leaving her hurt and in tears, not able to comfort her.

Even though he didn't want to, he knew he would continue to go back to Carl's hell and wait for the day that it would fully reset. That she would be there again. But how long could he wait? How long could he fight to remove himself off the throne? The keys below him began to blur in the pool of his tears as he began to hum along to the ballad. His voice cracked out in anger and hurt as he sang out,

" _You're the only one who really knew me at all_

_So take a look at me now  
Well there's just an empty space  
And there's nothing left here to remind me  
Just the memory of your face_

_Now Take a look at me now  
'Cause that's just an empty space  
But to wait for you is all I can do  
And that's what I've got to face_

_Take a good look at me now  
'Cause I'll still be standing here  
And you coming back to me is against all odds  
It's the chance I've got to take  
Take a look at me now_"

His fingers stopped at the sound of footsteps approaching him from behind. "Don't stop on my account." He furrowed his brow, trying to place the familiar voice and quickly brushed away any tears with his sleeve. Before he could turn around, she put the final puzzle piece in for him. "It's been a while, Lu." Only one person called him that from his past, and he felt a wave of resentment smooth over his insides.

"Lily, what do I owe this warm, unwelcomed visit?" He put on a stone-cold face, trying to suppress any vulnerable state he may have just been in. She was not someone to be around when the vulnerability took over. His fingers continued to dance on the keyboard playing a light melody to keep him focused. She walked closer to him, tracing a single finger along his back and onto the black reflective piano. He could see her golden blonde hair filled with loose curls bounce off her shoulders as she stepped alongside the piano. Her black silk dress clung to her body in all of the right places, making any man give her a second look, but not Lucifer. He knew the type of woman she was- what she was really capable of.

"I heard this place is on the market."

Lucifer refused to acknowledge her presence as he knew this would annoy her even more. He was willing to do anything to go back home, but he wasn't this stupid. "Sorry, you must have heard wrong. This property is off the market."

She pushed her body hard into the side of the keyboard, leaning over to drape Lucifer's hands with her hair. Lily playfully pouted her lips, forming big doe eyes. "Aw, why not. Maybe I'm looking for somewhere a little warmer." She hitched up her dress above her knees to take a seat next to the current ruler of hell.

This annoyed him even more. "Last time I checked, you're still a demon."

She placed her hand on his inner right thigh, drawing small circles with her pointer finger. "And last time I checked, you were the devil. Why would you want to give this place up?"

Lucifer stood up from his bench to create as much distance as he could between them. Lily released a deep laugh as she took over his place at the piano, lightly touching the keys, destroying any attempt at a tune.

"So the rumors are true, you've changed. I always said it was a bad idea going up there for that long. I mean, look what happened to me. I try to make friends and-"

Lucifer turned around, looking at her disgusted as she did a dishonor to the piano in front of her. "You start the Salem witch trials."

Lily rolled her eyes as Lucifer blamed the historic event on her. "Humans are just so sensitive. They could never take a joke. I was just surprised my Mazikeen even wanted to go up there with you." Lily stopped her playing and looked around at the emptiness around her. "Where is my daughter, by the way?"

Lucifer took the opportunity to close the top of the piano and wrap up this conversation. "Like I'd tell you."

Lily closed her eyes as she absorbed the sounds of screams in the distance. "Don't tell me she chose to stay up there." She popped her eyes open to stare harder at Lucifer for answers. "She did… she was always the biggest disappointment."

"Yes, yes, yes. A disappointment. I heard this all before. Let's wrap this up, shall we? Hell is not for sale. Sorry to see you go. But not really. Bye now."

Lily's eyes traced up and down Lucifer's black suit curiously. "You still dress like them. Why?" It was safe to say that this was the most offensive thing she has said since her arrival.

Lucifer straightened his sleeves and he fixed a cufflink. "It's a Tom Ford. It would be a crime not to wear it." This confused her, and she continued to play the same high C note on repeat. She started to lose her confidence as she slowly looked over her shoulder. Lucifer followed her eyes, waiting for someone to come from around the corner. "Lily, what are you doing here?"

Her snake-like smile reappeared as she focused on his deep purple pocket square. "I'm here to help an old friend." He knew her. She was always looking out for herself and what benefited her. She somehow had gotten away with living in the Silver City for so long, even with all of her poor deeds continuing to stack up against her. Adam advocated for her after all of these years.

"No… No. You're not telling me everything. Lily. Lilith, what are you doing here."

She slammed the keyboard cover down hard. "Fine! Your father sent us. You're no fun. Really." Lucifer leaned in, feeling his anger take hold of him once more. Not only did he have to return to this place, leave everything behind, but now his father sent him the worst of the worst to babysit.

A dirty blonde haired man walked from around the corner, scoping out the tall walls around him. Half of his long hair was tied back into a top knot, and his thick dirty blonde beard couldn't hide the jagged jawline underneath. He was cloaked in beige cloth with embellishments of gold and bronze metals across his chest. "Hey Lily, this actually isn't as bad as I thought."

Lucifer's eyes widened in shock as his head leaned forward, studying the familiar face in front of him. "Cas?"

The man's bright blue eyes shrunk as his muscular cheeks formed into a broad smile shining his bright white teeth. "Hi, big brother."

Lucifer laughed in disbelief pulling his little brother close to him. They both patted each other's back hard, enjoying their embrace. Cassiel was one of the brothers Lucifer missed most from his days in the Silver City. They shared the same humor, viewed their city the same, and had the same thoughts toward their own father. After Lucifer was cast out from above, he had heard rumors that Cassiel acted out in anger and was cast out as well, but they never saw each other. Lucifer was forbidden from returning to the Silver City, and Cassiel was banned from visiting the underworld. Cassiel cupped his older brother's face to get a better look at the man he hadn't seen in eons. "Hi, Sam."

Lucifer found himself stumbling over his words from shock and excitement. "I don't understand. How are you here?"

Cassiel wrapped an arm around his older brother's neck and brought him back to the piano, where Lily waited patiently. "What do you mean, how am I here?"

Lily placed her hand on Cassiel's free hand and gave him a warning look. "Cas…"

Cassiel corrected himself immediately and cleared his throat, changing the tone of his visit. Lucifer looked down at their interaction curiously. From all of his experiences with Lily, he had never seen her stare at someone with that amount of care and sincerity before. She definitely had a bite to her, but seeing how much he, himself, had grown personally, it was easier to accept that maybe Lilly had changed too. How Cassiel awkwardly moved his weight from one leg to another, he knew there was bad news coming. "Sam, it's Michael. He broke father's command."

Lily adjusted herself uncomfortably on the piano booth muttering under her breath. "Wouldn't be the first time." Cassiel looked down at her with a warning in his eyes that immediately made her stop talking.

"Cas, what's going on."

Cassiel leaned forward onto the piano, entwining his fingers in one another. "It's our nephew. It's not sitting right with Michael that he still is able to roam the land when he should be in the rightful home of the Silver City. But- But I think there's more. He's so worked up about this. I can just feel that's he's going to do something worse. Father told him to leave it be, that it was supposed to happen, but he's now gone. We don't know where he is, but we have an idea where." He cautiously watched Lucifer piece together the drama from the Silver City. Cassiel had heard the rumors of what his brother was experiencing on earth, who he's met, and the sacrifices he took for their happiness. Lucifer was turning into the angel, everyone saw him as, even when Lucifer couldn't see it himself growing up.

"So, why aren't you there? Why didn't he send Gabriel?" Cassiel and Lily shared an all-knowing look that irritated Lucifer.

"Father believes this is a job for the Lightbringer." Lucifer felt a great weight on his chest at the thought of confronting his brother. The brother who physically threw him out of his home and away from his family.

"But- But, I can't leave here. Not again, with everything that's happened without someone-"

Cassiel opened up his arms to show himself off as a present to Lucifer. "Father sent us down here for a reason, Sam. Now, I'm not saying it's a done deal. I don't know how long, but at least for right now."

Lucifer couldn't accept the thought that his father was giving him a way out. "After all this time. Why now?"

Cassiel shrugged an innocent shrug. "He said he owed someone a favor."


	3. Hello, Detective

Like clockwork, Charlie would scream out his cries of hunger at 5:58 am every morning. Nothing earlier, nothing later. Linda laid in her bed, waiting for the cries, but this morning they did not come. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring hard at the crack in her bedroom door that led out to her hallway. A small stream of sunrise began to creep in between her curtains, leaving shadows of the tree branches and leaves enlarged on her wall. The shadows started to sway heavily back and forth as a small rumbling from her floorboards shook her bed. Linda reached over for her glasses on her nightstand just before they fell off from the intense vibrations.

A heavy thump pounded down from outside her door. By sensing the direction, she assumed it was her living room. The rumbling came to a stop as Linda jumped out of her bed, tip-toeing to her door. She couldn't see much from the angle of her bedroom, only the small glimpse of Charlie sleeping in his crib across the hall. If only she could get to him and enclose themselves in there. Amenadiel should have woken by the chaos by now from his bedroom, she assumed. Linda and Amenadiel had agreed to co-parent Charlie and focus on his needs before exploring anything in their relationship. He gladly moved his things into the third spare bedroom after Charlie had been born. At this moment alone, she was slightly regretting that choice.

She popped her head out to see if any movement came from his room, but she heard nothing. Her head drove to the left as she heard footsteps walking around her living room. Linda looked around her bedroom for anything to grab. "Weapon. Weapon. Weapon." The nearest thing to her door was a long spool of floral wrapping paper for Ella's recent birthday. As she crept into her hallway, the culprit found himself in a trap of baby toys. The alphabet song started playing loudly as his next step hit a crinkle mat with bells. Balls with beads were rolling onto the kitchen floor, and a loud squeak came from a stuffed animal being suffocated under the weight of black oxfords.

Linda stepped out into her kitchen and dropped her wrapping paper roll at the sight of Lucifer, staring disgustedly at a pink rubber piggy oinking at him. "This is what my nephew's learning? Really?" He felt a new presence near him, staring agape. Linda was wearing a pajama set with glasses of wine mixed with the words _It's time to whine_ scattered in pink and purple cursive. Her hair was pulled up into a loose ponytail with frizz and strays flying around her face from a restless night of sleep.

"Lucifer?" She was completely stunned. He tossed the pig onto the couch in front of him and turned to Linda with a bright smile as he opened his arms.

"Doctor!"

The wrapping paper that fell to the ground slowly unraveled itself toward the Devil, and a single cardboard roll stopped at his feet. "What were you planning to do? Wrap me to death? You really need to be more resourceful. I could have been an intruder." He watched Linda carefully waiting for a response. "Doctor?" She continued to stand frozen, watching Lucifer wave his hand in front of her face to get more emotion out of her. "Right. Big Brother!" Lucifer's voice carried to the back hallway, "Your favorite brother is home!"

His booming voice and the sound of Amenadiel fumbling around his bedroom set Charlie off into a crying fit, snapping Linda out of her trance. Linda looked up at her old friend, still in shock, "Charlie." Lucifer turned Linda around by her shoulders and pointed her to the first bedroom on the left side of the back hallway. By the time Amenadiel found his way into the kitchen, Lucifer was reading the instructions on the Keurig machine in the corner.

"Luci? What- what are you doing here?" Lucifer popped a Kcup into the holder and watched with fascination as it began to brew with a simple pull of a lever.

"Making coffee. Do you want some?" He began to open different cupboards above, looking for the right mug.

Linda joined Amendial's side with Charlie in her arms. "You see him too, right?" They both stared at Lucifer as he wafted the smell of the brewing coffee up into his nose, and he shined a smile as if he were getting high off the scent.

"Lucifer!" Amenadiel's voice roared enough to make Linda flinch and cup Charlie's ears.

"No need to yell brother, I'm right here."

"How are you here? We thought-" Amenadiel's frustration disappeared as he thought of the loss that everyone had been experiencing, including himself. He had been trying to get Lucifer to go back to hell for years and finally gave up as he doubted his own mission and gave in to his brother's stubbornness. When he learned Lucifer made the choice to leave to protect his son, he had never been more proud of his little brother. It wasn't an easy choice, but Lucifer made it. He furrowed his brow looking back to his brother with heat in his eyes. With how much Lucifer had grown as a person and matured, he wouldn't have just come back on his accord unless something was happening. He left to protect Charlie, so wouldn't his return put his son in danger again?

"Luci, why are you here?" Lucifer's charming smile disappeared as his eyes met Charlie. The baby had grown a lot since he last saw him. Charlie's big eyes stayed focused on the unfamiliar face in the kitchen as he squeezed his mom with his tiny hands.

"Michael. He's on his way to take Charlie home." Lucifer emphasized home in air quotes as he leaned back onto the kitchen counter.

Amenadiel looked at his son, scared, causing Linda to hold Charlie tighter to her chest. "I can reason with Michael. He's listened to me before." He shook his head, not understanding how any of this could be true. "How do you even know this is happening?" Charlie began to fuss in Linda's arms, and she let him down in his nearby playpen.

"Cas stopped by for a quick visit."

"Cassiel? How? He's forbidden from visiting you." Lucifer took his coffee from the Keruig and watched the steam linger above the brim of his mug.

"Looks like dear old Dad had a change of heart. There's more." Lucifer couldn't look his brother in the eyes. He would never admit it, but seeing his brother this worried hurt him. "A couple of months ago, Michael was talking about how it's time to cleanse the land of Nephilims once more." Amenadiel leaned forward onto the kitchen island as his heart began to race.

"Father would never allow that. He learned his lesson the first time."

"Yeah, sounds like Michael isn't taking dad into consideration lately. Lilly said he's been acting out and-" Amenadiel darted his eyes up to Lucifer confused.

"Lillith? You've been talking to Lillith?"

Linda took a seat at the island as a small headache formed behind her eyes. She loved that her friend was back, but she did not miss the confusing celestial drama that this family carried. "I'm sorry I have to intervene here. Lillith as in _the_ Lillith? Maze's mom? And what's neph- nephiliand…"

Lucifer took his first sip of coffee as Amenadiel took charge answering. "Nephilim. Children of heaven and earth. The last known Nephilims were wiped out with the floods a long time ago. They were seen as a threat, but in reality, they were the warriors who brought balance to the people of the land." Linda looked back to her son in the playpen, who shook the base of a stuffed rattle with a zebra's head on top. Amenadiel looked back to Lucifer, waiting for an explanation on Linda's first question, "I can't believe you would leave hell to her. A demon?"

"Oh, I'm not that stupid. I left it, Cas… and Lilly. It seems like there's a lot more happening behind those closed doors up in the Silver City. But who am I to judge?"

Linda watched the exchange of glances between Amenadiel and Lucifer. "How would Maze feel about this, Lucifer?"

"I can deal with my Mazikeen when the time comes. But I think right now the focus should be finding a certain archangel, don't you, brother?" Amenadiel shared a long and concerning look with Linda.

"Yes, I presume you're right. Where should we start?"

Lucifer chugged the rest of his coffee back and straightened his blazer with a little more excitement in his step. "Well, I thought I'd start with a nice hot shower, get a croissant at that one place- what's the name? Run some quick errands, you know Devil things. Be back around noonish." Lucifer's angelic white wings sprung out from behind him, knocking over a bowl of apples and bananas from the kitchen counter.

"Luci, you can't see her." He lost his footing and stumbled forward a bit as his wings flared out in anger.

"See who?" As much as he thought he could play dumb, Amenadiel and Linda both knew that this was a man who could not lie or get away with it. The look on his face was unmistakable.

"We don't know what we're up against just yet. If what you're saying is true, it's not going to be pretty. We both know our brother- his strength, his persistence, his views on _you_ in particular. Until we know what we're dealing with, I think it's wise that you remain out of sight. And that means the people in this room now are the only ones that know you're back." Amenadiel looked over to Linda for confirmation, but she looked down at the counter biting her lip, conflicted.

She slowly nodded her head in agreement but continued to avoid both of their eyes. Amenadiel watched as Lucifer's eyes raced back and forth, thinking of some sort of rebuttal, but he stopped his brother before he could speak. "This is for everyone's good. Everyone's safety. And your safety, Lucifer." Lucifer retracted his wings, not wanting to admit that his brother was right.

* * *

Linda watched her son stack blocks in his playpen as she finished her 11:00 am session with Gabby, a woman who struggles with a narcissistic mother. She couldn't risk leaving her son with the nanny and changed all of her sessions to be virtual to keep a watchful eye. Sitting at the kitchen island, she kept clicking the side of her smartphone to see a background photo of Charlie and no new notifications. She kept anxiously waiting for a text or phone call from Amenadiel saying everything was going to be okay and that it was just a misunderstanding between celestial brothers. But she hadn't heard from him since he left with Lucifer earlier that morning and she was growing more anxious.

Her heart jolted at the sound of the front door unlocking, hoping it was anything but bad news. Maze busted through with headphones in her ears as she kicked the door behind her shut. She grooved her head to the right and left, feeling the beats streaming through her ears. As their eyes met, Maze popped an earbud out and gave a nonchalant nod to her friend as she made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge. "I stopped by your office, but you weren't there. Are you sick or something?"

Linda quickly looked around her home as if she needed to hide something, but everything was perfectly in its place. Even the mug Lucifer sipped out of that morning was put away into the dishwasher. She didn't want to carry this secret, especially from hell's number one demon. Maze took out a cardboard container of leftovers from a new Italian restaurant Linda visited earlier that week. She opened the container a crack to give it a sniff. "I'm starving." Linda slowly closed her laptop as Maze continued to look around the fridge. She couldn't ignore the massive wave of guilt passing through her. Maze should know.

Maze cracked open a lime flavored soda water as she turned to her friend. "Want to order a pizza? I want extra pineapple this time. I know you don't like that on your pizza, but I can get it on half." Linda prepared herself and stood slowly, watching Maze take a few sips from the can.

"Maze…" Maze's eyes squinted as Linda took a deep breath in. There was a noticeable shift in the air. Linda had her therapist hat on, and Maze felt a lecture coming her way.

"Okay, fine, we don't need the pineapple."

"... Lucifer's back." Maze froze as she watched Linda's face. Her brown eyes were wide and surprised almost, but she stood too still for Linda's liking. Linda quickly moved her glass vase in the middle of the kitchen island off to the side to save it from shattering, just in case. "Maze, did you hear me?" Maze's lips trembled a little as they broke out slowly into a laugh. She held her stomach laughing so hard at the idea of Lucifer being back, but Linda stood her ground, watching the denial take over. Lucifer was a sore topic with Maze since he had left. Linda was known to be patient with clients as they experienced the seven stages of grief, but Maze never left anger.

Maze calmed her laughter to take a sip of her drink. "No, if Lucifer were back, I'd know. Trust me." She kept shaking her head as small bouts of laughter faded, and she placed her hands on her hips, ignoring the all-knowing look Linda continued to give her. "No… no. No?" Linda slowly nodded her head as she saw Maze finally find acceptance. "No." Maze looked down at her boots, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes. He abandoned her when he left. He didn't even ask if she wanted to go back with him, even though she knew it was a hard no, but it was the thought of asking at least. He didn't even leave a note. She wasn't willing to deal with those emotions with him just yet. She wasn't ready. "When did he get here?"

"Just this morning." Maze cleared her throat, looking back up with the coldest look she could muster.

"How is he back? I thought…" Linda looked around her kitchen once more for anything fragile.

"Yeah, about that. He kind of found some interim rulers, but it was all for a good reason."

"Who, Linda." Maze slowly made her way around the island, closing in on the therapist. Linda picked up her laptop and cradled it in her arms as she took some steps backward.

"Remember, this is all for a really really good reason, and it's probably a short term thing." Maze cocked her head to the side in the most intimidating of ways. Linda squeaked out as quickly as she could the names Cassiel and Lilith. The can in Maze's hands crumbled into a ball as quickly as a piece of paper. Carbonated water soaked the edge of the island and floor around Maze's boots.

"I'm… going… to kill him. How could he do that? How could he do that to me? Where is he?"

Linda placed her laptop down on the patterned chair in the living room and placed her hands up defensively. "Again, this is all for a good cause. He did the best he could with the news he received." Maze dropped the crumpled can to the floor, raising an eyebrow waiting for a good explanation.

"The only reasonable excuse for my mom being a leader down there is that an apocalypse is coming. No, scratch that. Not even worth that."

"Michael has plans for Charlie, and it doesn't sound like a happy family reunion." Maze immediately softened her eyes, and her shoulders relaxed as she looked over to Charlie playing with his reflection in one of his toys. "Maze, I'm really scared." This was the first time Linda felt like she was able to speak her mind. Instead of falling apart and crying, Linda pushed it down and picked up her son instead. "Amenadiel and Lucifer are checking out the local churches today for any sign of him. According to Amenadiel, Michael has only come to Earth a few times before, and he stayed close to a congregation." Linda shifted her weight back and forth, watching her son, avoiding Maze's eyes. "They don't know that you know, and they don't want more people knowing until we find Michael. I don't know when they'll be back, but you shouldn't be here when they do."

"So, what am I supposed to do now that I know? I can't just leave you here."

Linda fixed her glasses with one hand. "Yes, you can. I'll be okay, I promise. But, there is one thing that you can do. Lucifer was trying to see Chloe this morning, and as much as Amenadiel can keep an eye on him, we both know Lucifer will find a way to distract him. Chloe can't know." Maze leaned against the counter, not knowing how she felt about this. All their time together these past six months, their friendship grew to be something better than it was before, even if very little words were spoken. They understood each other. "If this situation takes a turn for the worse, Lucifer can't risk being vulnerable. As of now, we don't know anything, and we're hoping Michael doesn't know everything down here too. Until we know more, Lucifer and Chloe need to stay away from each other, for both of their safety… according to Amenadiel."

* * *

Chloe's eyes stayed focused on the next empty field in her report as the text line blinked, waiting for the victim's last name to be finished. The case in front of her had been open for 38 minutes, now going on 39. She looked back down at the file in front of her keyboard, and her eyes drew to the yellow piece of paper below the manila folder.

Interim Lieutenant Wilcox had dropped off the expired contract papers of a Lucifer Morningstar, Civilian Consultant, on Chloe's desk before lunch. Her eyes skimmed the document trying to make sense of it, but when she realized what it was, she sat down and read the text in detail over and over again. Her mind was racing, and her heart continued to beat slowly and powerfully in her chest. All she had to do was keep busy and deal with this later, but she continued to stare with emptiness at the next empty field in the report.

"Yo, Decker." Maze strutted through the LAPD precinct until she reached Chloe's desk. Chloe pushed the yellow paper under the file more before Maze could look down at her station, but Maze's eyes were more focused on the bullpen. Her eyes were darting to every person walking around the precinct, over her shoulder, and quick scan up to the balcony above.

"Maze…" Her eyes continued to look around suspiciously as she followed Chloe's voice.

"What's up?"

Chloe couldn't help but look where Maze's eyes wandered. "Maze, why are you acting so weird?" There was no visible sign of Lucifer around, but now Maze was starting to feel stupid. If Amenadiel was babysitting his brother today, there was no chance they were even close to the police station.

"I'm not being weird; you're being weird."

"Oh- Oh, okay. Maze are you alright? Why are you here?" She shoved her hands in her back pockets, puckering her lips as she looked down on the detective. Maze didn't really think through how she was going to distract Chloe for the day as she drove over.

"Why am I here…" Chloe clasped her hands into one another as she patiently waited for a response.

"Do you need help with something?"

"Yes! Help. I need your help…" Maze casually scanned the precinct and watched as an officer walked side by side with a man covered in tattoos in handcuffs. "... I need your help with a bounty." Maze delivered with a little too much excitement, but she was proud of herself for thinking of something productive. Chloe was surprised by this. Maze was not someone to ask for help, especially when it came to her bounties.

"Yeah, I can definitely help. What did they do?"

Maze rolled her eyes so hard; they practically rolled behind her head. She wasn't prepared at all for this. She looked to one of the officers behind Chloe, giving change for a $20 bill to another. "They owe a good amount of money…" Maze's eyes looked down at Chloe's desk at a picture of Trixie smiling from a hike they did over the summer. "... for kids?"

"They owe money for kids? You mean alimony?" Maze snapped her fingers and pointed to Chloe.

"That's the one." This was hurting Maze's pride. She typically wasn't this off or dumb, but she wasn't in the right headspace after she visited with Linda. What Maze was missing to see was how eager Chloe was to do anything to get her mind to stop racing. Her fingers were at the ready as she pulled up the database on her desktop.

"What's their name?"

Maze looked to her right at a new presence in the precinct. Dan walked in with a fast food bag in one hand and a milkshake in the other. As his lips released from the large straw, some of the vanilla milkshake poured out onto his chin and down to his chest. Maze watched in disgust as he tried to scrub the milk stain out of his top with some dribbles of milkshake still left on his chin. "Dan… Smith." It was her job to take Chloe out for a good part of the day, and she had to think of the last name that would cost them all of their free time.

"Okay… well, it looks like there's about 1,264 Dan Smiths in LA. Not the best start. Four hundred thirty-six are reported as being legally divorced. Two hundred sixty are qualified for alimony. It's not the best list, but it's a start." Maze picked the papers off from the printer, grinding her teeth as she read the long list of repetitive names and addresses, and her rage grew stronger against Lucifer. This is not how she wanted to spend her day.

"So, are you going to do this with me or not?"

Maze kept surprising Chloe today. "You want me to help you find your bounty?"

Maze picked up a few of her files on the desk. "You got something better going on here?" Chloe looked down at the paperwork that needed to be filed and the corner of the yellow piece of paper below it all.

Chloe eagerly stood up and smiled. "Let's do this."

* * *

Linda slowly closed Charlie's door behind her, leaving the smallest of cracks as she set him down for a nap. It had been four, five hours since she had heard from Maze, Amenadiel, or Lucifer. The loneliness and silence of her home were beginning to be too much for her and her anxiety. As if a secret prayer was answered, everyone came in at once, fast, and quickly all were gone.

Amenadiel and Lucifer were the first to arrive back. Amenadiel studied his notepad with all of the LA churches written in his scripture for pages. "Ugh, Luci, we missed three. How did we miss three?" Linda joined Amenadiel on the couch, looking at his list. "I should have never let you stop at the food truck. You completely distracted me."

Lucifer squatted down to his knees, looking through the cabinets below the kitchen island. "I've always been a sucker for supporting small businesses, and you know that. And you can blame me all you want, but I think we can both agree that the carne asada tacos with that side of mole sauce were the real culprit. Doctor, you truly missed out."

"We need to go back up to finish those three before we hit the south." As Amenadiel flipped through his notepad, Linda got a real look at the number of churches in LA.

Lucifer slammed one cabinet door and moved onto the next. "You two have a very poorly stocked pub." After a ruthless search through the bottom island cabinets, Lucifer moved to the cabinets above. "I mean, really Doctor, do you have nothing here?"

Linda popped her head over Amenadiel's shoulders to pay attention to the Devil in her kitchen. "No, scotch? Whiskey? Brandy? Gin? Rum? Vodka? Tequila, even?" Linda shook her, knowing she never really had hard liquor in her home, ever. Some nights she would pick up a bottle of wine, especially after some sessions with Lucifer himself, but that bottle would be finished that night. Lucifer threw his arms up, defeated.

All heads turned toward the front door when Maze busted through. She stopped at the top of the small step up and took in the sight of Lucifer in the kitchen. Lucifer froze as Maze's eyes changed from shock to joy, to anger. Linda raised her hand to draw the room's attention to her. "I kind of told Maze." Maze walked with so much determination to Lucifer that both Linda and Amenadiel leaned back deeper into the couch to remove themselves from her path.

Lucifer shined a bright smile and opened his arms wide to welcome her in. "Maze, you don't know how much I missed-"

Maze forced a powerful uppercut into Lucifer's stomach, causing him to fold over in pain. "My mom, Lucifer? Are you serious?" Lucifer tried to catch his breath by putting his words together after getting the wind knocked out of him.

"Is no one happy I'm back?"

"How could you do that?" Lucifer slowly straightened his torso to tower over Maze.

"It's not left to her; it's left to Cas. She just happened to be his one carry on for that trip. I would never leave that place to her. I would never do that to you." His eyes softened on her, but she stood her ground, hiding behind her walls. She couldn't forgive him that easily, but he also knew that.

As annoyed he wanted to be with Linda, Amenadiel was grateful for Maze knowing. She could be the extra arm they needed in this. "Maze, what are you doing here?" She didn't take her eyes off of Lucifer as she folded her arms tightly to her chest.

"I came to check-in on Linda and the little dude. I'm more than happy to take care of Michael myself."

"Good, because we may need your help." Amenadiel stood up, looking defeated. "Do you think you can spare some of your time?"

Lucifer rubbed his abdomen uncomfortably as he chimed in, "or some of your weapons?"

Maze rubbed her face, not wanting to stretch herself thinner. "Help yourself to the weapons, but give it an hour. Chloe's back changing for the night."

"You moved back in with her?" Lucifer's voice was soft as he stared in awe of his lifelong friend. It annoyed Maze how touched he looked. He didn't deserve it.

"I didn't do that for you if that's what you're thinking. Trixie is persistent."

Amenadiel walked into the kitchen, trying to focus on the problem at hand. "That would be very helpful. I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think you can keep Chloe distracted while I handle Luci."

Lucifer waved his hand between the two. "I'm right here."

"I'm already ahead of it. Turns out the bounty I made-up is turning out to be true. We're doing a stakeout tonight, so we'll be out." Maze turned to point a finger to Lucifer's face. "I don't know how you worked with her for so long. She yells at me for everything. I kick a door down, that's a home invasion. I choked a guy, that's assault. Whatever." Lucifer's tight, reminiscent grin said it all, and for the first time that day, he didn't have a quick response. His hands found their way into his pockets, and his eyes met his feet. He had obviously missed Chloe while he was away, but it was more painful to be this close and still to be so far.

Maze fixed her leather jacket and checked the time. "I'll text you when we're out of there. Keep me updated." Maze made her way to the front door, giving a small wink to Linda on her way out.

Lucifer lifted his head to stop her before she left. "Maze, could be a good demon and bring me back a bottle of scotch?"

Maze didn't give her old friend a second look as she threw him the middle finger. "Screw you."

* * *

Chloe's eyes had not left the window on the Spanish-style apartment. The curtains were open a crack, and a blue light emitted from somewhere within the room. The blue reflection moved in small waves on the apartment's ceiling, and the detective assumed there was a fish tank somewhere in there. The Dan Smith Maze had been looking for was kicked out of his home and marriage for his addiction to gambling. He had cost his family more than they had bargained for. Now, being single and a man about the town, he not only continued his gambling addiction but add recreational drugs and sex to the mix. Neighbors had reported him leaving for the night to go to a local poker match, but he was known for coming home loudly with guests anywhere between three and six am.

Maze wanted to take her motorcycle, but Chloe had to point out the obvious and threw her car keys to the bounty hunter. It was a cold night for LA, and the perimeter of the car's windows began to fog slightly. Chloe unscrewed the top to her thermos and freshened her tired eyes with more hot coffee. Maze released a small moan in her sleep as her forehead pressed hard against the window, and her breath created a circle of fog in the middle. She jerked her head quickly with a snort, slowly opening her eyes and her mouth for a yawn. "What time is it?"

"Quarter to five." Maze squinted her eyes, looking at the radio to confirm the time. She stretched her arms wide and up above her head.

"How are you still awake?" Chloe took a deep sip of her coffee and offered her thermos to Maze.

"I think you forget what I do for a living." Maze took a sniff of the coffee looking up to the same window Chloe couldn't look away from.

"I'm assuming he's not home yet?" Maze poured some of the coffee into a spare Styrofoam cup, watching the steam rise into the cool car air.

They sat in silence for a little until Maze turned the ignition on to get the radio to play. A DJ's smooth voice came over the radio. "This request was tweeted in by Katie M. from Pomona. 'Nothing is better than staying up with my 101.2. I love you guys.' Thanks, Katie, we love you too. This one's for you. Here's the Counting Crows, Friend of the Devil."

Chloe immediately leaned forward, turning the radio off. "I'd rather sit in silence if that's okay." Maze watched tentatively as Chloe sat back with her arms crossed, shaking her head in frustration.

"You okay, Decker?" Her face was stone, and her eyes stayed focused on the window.

"I'm fine."

Maze took a sip of her coffee and scrunched her nose at the flavor. Bending over in her seat, Maze reached for her flask strapped to her calf. She poured in about two shots worth of whiskey into her coffee before offering the flask to Chloe. "Pick me up?"

"I don't drink on the job. I don't get how you can get away with doing that. Both you and…" Chloe stopped herself from saying his name, but Maze waited.

"You know, now that I think of it, in all the time we've spent together these past six months, I don't think I've heard you mention him once. You can't even say his name. What's up with that?"

Maze could see half of Chloe's profile from the street lamp above. The light created a single stream of light highlighting her left eye, part of her nose, and her tight jawline. Chloe pulled her army jacket closer around her as she stayed silent, staying focused on the window. Her heart felt as if it were fluttering in the base of her neck. "I can say his name." Maze cocked an eyebrow and leaned in closer, waiting for the name she has heard too many times for her liking, but Chloe stayed silent. By the strain in her neck and the dramatic bursts of deep breaths in her chest, Maze could see how uncomfortable Chloe was. Her eyes were the hardest to read. They never left the window across the street, but Maze was starting to think it was for a reason.

She leaned back in the driver's chair, joining Chloe in the endless stare of this side street in silence. A cat with a mix of brown and white coloring pranced across the street from one garbage can to another. Maybe keeping Chloe away wasn't going to be that hard because maybe she didn't really want to see him. Maze rolled her head to the right to look at Chloe. "I mean, you have to admit, just a little. Some things have gotten easier since he's been gone." Even saying those words, Maze felt a tension in her chest. As much as she kept telling herself she was mad at him; she did miss her friend. Chloe stayed silent.

Lucifer was a sensitive topic for both of them, that was for sure, but all Maze could understand was the hurt she felt. If Chloe couldn't even bring him up or acknowledge him, her pain must be worse. "I get it, you know. He was my partner, too, my friend, and he just left. No goodbyes, no direction on what to do, no consideration for when he planned to come back. Gone. You know, he didn't even ask for my help down there. A year ago, I was willing to do anything to go back down there; he knew that. And now he goes and doesn't even give me a second thought. He's always looking out for himself, never thinking about how it impacts me or how I feel. I thought I was his partner, but maybe he only saw me as one of his demons. So I get it. I'm pissed too. If I could, I'd want to forget him too."

The look Maze had on her face was similar to the way she looked at Trixie- innocent. Chloe had never heard Maze open up and be this vulnerable before. It was refreshing to see this side of her, but it was uncomfortable too. The last time Chloe was truly vulnerable and open was the night he had left her on his balcony alone, and she didn't feel like reliving that kind of hurt again. It was easy to put walls up and to push down the pain and act as if everything was okay, but it was also lonely. She couldn't think of who to talk to that could relate or understand. Her close network of friends either had a lot of history and insight to Lucifer, or they didn't know the truth behind him. No one was neutral. As much as she would like to think Linda could be a safe space for her, she knew Linda had a different relationship with him that would make her insecure in sharing such a vulnerable moment. But being in this car and hearing the hurt in Maze's voice for the first time, she started to feel safe.

Chloe slowly shook her head as her eyes began to soften at the thought of him. "I'm not mad at him, Maze. He's done some things that have annoyed me or made me want to pull my hair out of my head, but I could never be mad at him."

Maze's thumb traced around the brim of her Styrofoam cup as her eyes settled on a small bubble floating at the surface of her coffee. "Then what is it?"

Chloe kept her focus steady on the apartment window and her neck proud as she took in a deep breath through her nose. She felt the ice walls within herself slowly melt as a heat built in her cheeks and around her eyes. "I loved him." She let her voice settle into the silence of the car before continuing. "I really- I loved him." Chloe threw a hand to her chest to show how much her heart hurt and to protect its rapid beat. "I know we didn't have the easiest relationship, but it was everything to me. He was my partner. I never felt judged or insecure around him. He accepted me; he validated me. And when he wanted me to accept him, I couldn't at first. I broke his trust, and that is something I will not forgive myself for. But I remembered the good in him, the things he's done for me, the way I felt when I was with him. He was never the devil or a monster to me. He was just Lucifer."

She quickly wiped away a tear from her right cheek in the shadows and felt her body tense at the memory from that night. "The night he left, I begged him not to leave. I told him that I loved him." Maze had continued to look down at her coffee as a form of privacy to Chloe's vulnerability, but this was the first time she looked up. Chloe was the only one to know what happened before he left, and no one had heard otherwise. When she had come down from the penthouse with swollen, red eyes, the group learned at the bar in Lux that he was gone. There was more than just, "he left," but no one wanted to approach the topic. Everyone had their own grief and acceptance to deal with. Maze saw from the stream of light, a mixture of tears sitting on her bottom eyelid, barely balancing.

"You told him you loved him, and he just left?" Chloe rolled her eyes up as if to recollect the tears around her eyes.

"He told me that we were wrong to think the prophecy was talking about Eve."

"It was you." Maze closed her eyes, finally understanding the pain Chloe felt. It was the same pain she had when she watched Eve walk away from her or the pain she felt when she lay awake, thinking of what Eve could be doing at that moment. She opened her eyes slightly, thinking about Chloe's experience that night and sat up more in her chair.

"Just to recap. You tell the man that's been pining for you since he met you that you love him. That you accept him and all of his faces, and he still leaves?" Chloe leaned her head back onto the seat with a proud smile on her lips.

"He did what was right."

If the roles were different, Maze knew she would just stay. If Eve were the one begging her not to leave and finally confessing a love that she's always wanted, she wouldn't even think about leaving her side. He had everything he'd ever wanted in front of him, and he still spared himself to protect her and everyone else. He made the ultimate sacrifice. Maze gripped the steering wheel, conflicted thinking of her day. It was the right thing to do to keep them separated. Lucifer wouldn't be vulnerable and destroyed by Michael, and Chloe couldn't get hurt and be used as a pawn against him, but they were partners in a way Maze knew she could never understand. She closed her eyes, gritting her teeth.

She only had one question for herself: would Lucifer do this for her if this were Eve?

"Screw this." Maze jolted the car into action and threw her seat belt around her body. Chloe wiped away any existing tears sitting on her cheeks, taken back by the bright headlights.

"What are you doing?"

"This is all fake. I mean, this Dan guy is a total sleaze, but it's all made up. Chloe, Lucifer's back."

* * *

The sky was turning to a light pink and orange on the horizon as the time grew closer to six am. Maze explained everything that was happening that day as she drove 30 over the speed limit throughout LA. A lot of it caused her to repeat as Chloe heard a distant muffled voice being drowned out over the thumping heartbeat in her ears. "Chloe!" Maze snapped her fingers in front of Chloe's face to get her attention. "Were here."

Chloe kept clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, trying to force some moisture. Her mouth had gone dry from nerves, and she felt the need to clear her throat every couple of breaths. She stopped herself on the front porch as Maze unlocked the door. "What if they're asleep." With a hefty shove of the door with her arm and assistance from her foot, Maze walked over the threshold and peaked a look across the open concept home to the kitchen.

"They're not. They're standing right there."

Amenadiel's voice could be heard from inside the home. "Maze, what are you doing?" Chloe couldn't move her legs; they felt as if they were grounded by cement. This is not what she pictured as a reunion with Lucifer, with such an audience. Maze leaned over the door and yanked Chloe's arm into the home, stumbling with her. When Chloe looked inside, she just found a disappointed, and tired, Amenadiel in the living room and Linda rubbing her temples at the kitchen island. The deep bags under their eyes and the weathered look of their clothes proved Maze's story to be true.

"Where is he?" Maze took off her leather jacket and tossed it to the closest chair in the living room. Linda dramatically shrugged and looked around, confused.

"Where is who?" Chloe knew Linda was terrible at keeping a secret, but this was just bad. She didn't get the best rap for her acting as a teen, but she could do much better than this.

"Lucifer." Maze positioned herself in front of Amenadiel with her hands on her hips.

He shook his head at Maze with an intense irritation in his eyes. "I can't believe you told her." Chloe didn't know what to do with herself. She felt like she was experiencing every emotion a human could handle, and her body was on overload. But right now, she felt like a child sitting between a pair of divorced parents that hated one another.

Maze peaked over Amenadiel's shoulder, raising her voice, "Lucifer," waiting for him to appear from the back hallway.

Linda joined the group motioning her hand at Maze to quiet her voice. "He's gone, Maze."

"What do you mean, he's gone?" Amenadiel began to pace the living room scratching his five o'clock shadow.

"This isn't his fight. I'm grateful he came back to alert us, but this is my doing. Charlie is my son; this is my battle."

Linda joined Chloe's side, lightly touching her arm with apologetic eyes. Mazed pressed on. "Did you find Michael?" Amenadiel shook his head in defeat as a shimmer of sunrise shined through the window and onto his face. "He wouldn't have just left you."

Amenadiel's eyes glossed over the hardwoods below him as he kicked the edge of the accent rug. "I asked him to leave." An eerie silence filled the room as all eyes stayed on the angel. "When we decided to keep Charlie on this earth, I took on that responsibility that some in the Silver City would disagree. I am his father. I am his protector. This is my battle, not Lucifer. He would just be a casualty. We both know the power Michael has over him."

Maze's head dropped, knowing the dark history and the years of resentment built around him. "He's different now."

Amenadiel turned to Maze as his voice rose in volume. "If something happened to him, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. This is my doing, and if he-" He had to stop himself from getting emotional. "He is the safest down there."

Chloe spoke for the first time, clearing her throat. "So, he's really gone?" Linda slowly nodded her head, avoiding her eyes and a guilty conscience by grabbing hold of Chloe tighter.

Amenadiel couldn't look her in the eyes either. "I'm sorry, Chloe."

Maze cocked her head to the side in deep thought, pursing her lips forward. "I'm sorry, why did he leave again?" Amenadiel stood a little prouder, elongating his neck and puffing his chest out.

"Because I told him to." Maze's skeptical eyes narrowed on Amenadiel and then to Chloe.

"Right… well, I think if Michael is still out there, then I'm staying here. I won't let anybody touch a hair on Charlie. Chloe, I think you should go home. I got it from here."

Amenadiel reached out, touching Maze's arm in thanks. He was exhausted, but now felt he could get at least a few minutes of shut-eye with Maze around, but Chloe protested. "No, I want to help."

"No… you should go home." Maze subtly jolted her head to the front door hoping Chloe could read her mind.

"I want to help. How can I help?" Maze threw her head back and crossed the home, yanking Chloe's elbow up to the front door. She looked over her shoulder to gauge Amenadiel's distance.

"Here's a question. When has Lucifer ever listened to his brother?" Chloe's eyes watched Maze's mouth as she pitched an aggressive whisper. She felt stupid for even taking the second to think about it, and her eyes began to fill with hope once more. Maze opened the front door and shoved the detective out onto the front porch, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

There was a heavyweight in her legs, but they still moved toward her front door. She imagined this is what it felt like to walk on the ocean floor. Her hand trembled as she placed her key in the lock and opened her door. The sunrise filled her home, streaming a mix of pink, orange, and yellow in from the windows in her living room, leaving Chloe to feel like she was in a dream state.

As Chloe took a step forward, her body felt intense chills work their way down her arms and spine. The cooling sensation caused her to close her eyes, and her lips parted into a small smile as she knew. She released a small, steady voice into the quiet void. "Lucifer?"

The sound of black oxfords against her hardwoods approached from the side door in her kitchen. Lucifer turned the corner in his three-piece suit with his hands in his pockets and an endearing smile. "Hello, Detective."


	4. Jetlag From Hell is A Real Thing

6:34 am

Everything she had been feeling for the past hour had vanished. Her heart rate was steady, her nerves dissipated into a calmness, and her mind, for the first time, stopped racing. Chloe cupped her hands around her nose as Lucifer stepped out of the kitchen. An intense beam of light angled in between them as the sunrise spread the news of a new day. Small, white particles floating in the stream of orange and pink lighting made the time feel slow.

Her hands slid down together in front of her lips as she watched his eyes scan over her. "You changed your hair."

Her right hand flew to her head as she combed over her slicked back bun. She had been up for 24 hours now and didn't know she even looked. "It's just a couple shades darker."

Lucifer cocked his head to the side, smiling at her new warm coloring. "I like it."

Chloe didn't know why she was beginning to feel so nervous and almost embarrassed. "You're back." She was hoping he was going to fill in the blanks on how long he planned to stay and that this wasn't just another goodbye.

"I'm back. It's a long story but-"

"Maze filled me in." He was surprised by this. Maybe Maze wasn't as mad at him as he thought.

Lucifer took another step forward to stand more directly in the light as his eyes softened on her. "How are you?" A small lump grew in his throat as he watched her eyes scan the ground, trying to think of what to say. All he did was worry about her when he was away, knowing he was the one that hurt her the most.

She knew exactly how she was feeling, an utter mess on the inside, but she didn't want him to know that. "Everything's good." Chloe had so many things that she wanted to say to him but blanked in that one moment. Six months of mental notes wasted. As her eyes scanned around the room for any hint of a spark of recollection, her eyes found Trixie's door open to an empty bedroom, and like being pinched out of a tired trance, all her thoughts came back to her at once.

"Trixie's good at math now. I don't know when that happened, because I know she definitely didn't get that from me. I think there's a boy in her class that she's trying to impress, which, I don't even remember her ever crushing on a boy before. When did that happen? Next thing I know, she'll be dating and keeping things from me. And then, she has this new group of friends, and I don't know how I feel about them." Her mind was racing a million miles a minute, and he could see that. He had known her to ramble when she was nervous and could have easily stopped her, but he really did miss this. He missed her voice and watched the thoughts she had been keeping in for so long pour out of her mouth as her hands flew around in the air.

"She's always texting in this group about, who knows what, which doesn't make sense because she's with these girls all day at school. What has been happening in those 20 minutes away from each other that is so important to be glued to your phone? She's staying up and watching these make-up tutorials and practically throwing out half her closet with clothes that she used to love, because 'Basil, said…' Oh! Yeah, the leader of this little cult is named Basil. Who names their kid after an herb?"

Lucifer leaned forward toward his toes, furrowing his brow, "And Trixie is the best name?" But she didn't hear him.

"Next thing I know is she'll be repping a nose ring because 'Basil thinks they're cool." Oh, and you know Maze will totally be the one to bring her behind my back or do it herself. Speaking of, Maze moved back in here, and I forgot how much of a slob she is. But she was a great friend these past months, and she's done a great job taking care of Lux. You don't have to worry about that. What else?"

Lucifer released his hands from their pockets and held the nervous, flailing hands before him. Chloe's mind rested at the welcomed distraction as his thumbs gently rubbed the smooth skin on the back of her hand. "How are _you_?"

She couldn't think of what to say and just stared into his eyes. Chloe subtly chewed down on her tongue, trying to prevent any tears from forming, but it didn't work. "I'm better now." As he cupped her cheek with his right hand, everything felt still and calm at that moment. The moment quickly came to an end at the sound of her door opening and Lucifer's eyes darting up above her head at the new company.

"Lucifer?"

"Lucifer?"

The two voices spoke out at different tones, excitements, and shocks. Trixie broke the small spacing between Lucifer and Chloe as she wrapped her arms around his torso. Her chin propped up on his abdomen as she smiled up at him. "I knew you'd come back!"

Lucifer's arms hovered above her, not knowing what to do until his right hand found it right to give her a few pats on top of the head. He even looked amused back at Chloe as he noticed her hugs grew taller. "This urchin has grown a bit."

"Where were you?" Trixie's voice wasn't as high-pitched and youthful as Lucifer once remembered.

"Yeah, I'd love to know the answer to that." Dan closed the front door behind him with more power than he intended causing Chloe to jump a little. Lucifer looked to Chloe for some type of help as his mouth was left agape, searching for a voice. He didn't think of what to say for moments like this and hoped Chloe would take the reigns.

"Dan, what are you doing here? Trixie should be on her way to school right now."

Dan threw the ends of his jacket back to place his hands on his hips, highlighting his holster and badge. "Apparently, you packed the wrong sweater for today and she forgot her picture form."

Chloe dropped her head, closing her eyes, remembering today. "Picture day. What's wrong with the sweater?"

Lucifer tried to retract Trixie's claws from around his torso, but it was no use. He gave into the suckling leech stuck to his body and set his hands home into their pockets. Trixie's bright smile faded as she began to read Lucifer's face like a puzzle she couldn't solve. "You were in Hell, weren't you?"

He leaned down closer to her face raising his delighted brows. "I was."

Trixie stepped back, folding her arms, feeling accomplished. "I knew it." Chloe lifted Trixie's arm to get a closer look at the sweater on her daughter as Dan rocked back on his heels with an exaggerated scoff.

"You're unbelievable. Hell?"

"What's wrong with the sweater, Monkey?"

Lucifer shrugged his shoulders playfully, placing his attention on Dan as Trixie snapped her head toward her mother in disgust. "I told you to stop calling me that!" Chloe threw her arms up defensively, forgetting how her daughter now hated the nickname she used to be so fond of. "You packed me a periwinkle blue sweater. I need to wear a cobalt blue sweater. Basil wants us all to match so we can easily find each other in the yearbook."

Chloe couldn't have tried to look any more confused. It was apparent Dan had given up even trying to decipher this new friend group. "Honey, that doesn't make any sense."

"Ugh. You just don't get it, okay."

Chloe took in a deep breath, not wanting to argue with her daughter this morning. "Go check the washer and dryer. It's probably hanging there."

Trixie spun on her heels, storming off to the laundry room as Lucifer watched her leave in amusement. "Oh, I like her now. She's got some spunk to her."

Chloe began to feel a dull headache forming behind her right eye. "It's called puberty."

"So, where were you really? Where were you that you couldn't- I don't know- pick up the phone?" Dan cocked his head, waiting for a response from the man in front of him. From the look in his eyes, Lucifer could tell he was waiting for something good enough to explain away six months of distance, but knowing Dan, there was never going to be a good enough excuse.

"Hell is known for poor reception."

"Is this all a joke to you? Do you even know what you put Chloe through? Do you even care?" Lucifer's eyes darted to Chloe and back to Dan as he tried to suppress the lump in his throat with clenched fists in his pockets. He didn't want Dan to see the look of concern form in his eyes as Dan continued to rub Chloe's turmoil in his face.

Chloe raised her hand between the two forces of nature. "I was fine."

"It's nice to know that not everything changed while I was gone. Still a douche."

Dan's nostrils flared as his chest puffed out a little more.

"Mom! I don't see it there." Trixie forced her way through the brewing storm and into her bedroom to continue her search. Dresser drawers and closet doors dramatically flung open and closed.

Chloe pushed Dan back with her hand on his chest. "Dan, maybe you should wait in the car."

His shoulders relaxed somewhat as he reached for his phone out of his pocket. "There was actually a reason I came in. A body was found on the beach this morning. Multiple stab wounds. Forensics is on their way, and I got called in." Dan's eyes darted up from his phone to Lucifer, who leaned over with interest in the case. A malicious grin hid in the corner of his lips as he turned to Chloe. "I thought it was worth telling my partner about."

Lucifer's eyes flared with shock and hurt as the word partner left Dan's mouth. Dan leaned back on his heels as he enjoyed the look of an unhinged Lucifer. "Partner?! Partner?!"

Chloe defensively threw her pointer finger up to Lucifer, trying to calm him down. "N- No. I'm not-" Her finger moved to Dan with more frustration. "No. I never said that I was your partner. I said I had to think about it."

"Think about _it_?!" Lucifer's chin jutted forward as he watched Chloe skeptically.

"Mom! I still can't find it!"

Chloe's headache began to duplicate behind her left eye. "Enough." Her voice cracked as she dropped a few octaves in frustration. "Trixie, maybe if you actually put your laundry away and didn't stack it on that chair in the corner for weeks, this wouldn't be an issue." Trixie's eyes lit up as she remembered her chair and took back off into her room. Chloe turned to Dan as her eyelids grew heavy. "Lucifer is my partner. Plain and simple." A triumphant smile crossed Lucifer's lips as he mouthed the word partner to Dan. "Thank you for letting me know about the case. If I'm needed, I will be there, but for now, I think your biggest concern should be how you're going to Trixie to school on time."

Trixie ran out from her room with a darker blue sweater on. "Where is your photo form?" Trixie was more alert and attentive to her mother's new tone of voice. She slowly presented the form that had cash attached in an envelope. "Good. Once you're in the car, you're going to do what?"

Trixie's voice was more quiet than earlier as she looked to her dad for help. "Put it in my backpack."

Chloe checked her watch on her left wrist. "It's going on seven; you two should start heading out." Trixie looked over her mom's shoulder to wave a quick goodbye to Lucifer as Dan placed his arm around her to guide his daughter to the front door.

Chloe watched as her family left her home as her phone began to vibrate in her back jean pocket. "I have a feeling of what this is about." She turned back to Lucifer, reading the incoming text from Ella on a victim found on the beach and that her help is being requested. She had to think about this for a minute- was she stretching herself too thin?

Lucifer peeked his head over her shoulder to read the text from Ella. "Tell her we're in. I may be a bit rusty, but it's like riding a bike."

"Lucifer, you can't come." She finished her response back to Ella, quickly alerting her that she will be there in the next hour or so.

"Why not?"

Chloe placed her phone back in her jean pocket and thought of things she needed to do before getting back to work. "Well, one- you're not ready. Two- your consultant contract expired yesterday, ironically."

He leaned forward with the devilish grin she had missed. "When has that stopped me before?"

"We have a new interim Lieutenant in the station, and they're really by the book." Like a dog alert to the sound of a doorbell ringing, Lucifer straightened up concerned with the idea of new leadership in the office. It wouldn't be the first time someone from his world tried to infiltrate the LAPD and his detective.

"New Lieutenant?"

Chloe watched as he became the one to have his thoughts race. "I know what you're thinking. I think it's safe to rule out Michael unless he's walking as a fair-skinned, red-headed woman who can rock a pantsuit like no other."

Lucifer's fears disappeared as he envisioned the woman in his head. "That's a fair assumption."

"I've already started on the wrong foot with her, so I can't take any more chances, right now." Before Lucifer could press more, Chloe quickly moved on. He didn't need to hear that the reason she was already looked down on was that she kept defending a partner that was AWOL. That she was in murky waters as her interrogation tactics were borderline 'by the book,' and her punishment toward guilty parties was more aggressive than before. She never crossed the line as her partner would, but she was getting closer to her breaking point. She felt imbalanced without her partner and couldn't help but take it out on the guilty.

"And three, the main reason you came back was for Charlie. Your brother thinks you're gone. He's concerned for your safety, Lucifer."

Lucifer swatted away the idea with his hand in the air. "My brother doesn't know what he wants. It's not his choice if I stay or go. The only person who can choose if I'm in danger or not is me."

"Maybe you should be telling him that." He wanted to roll his eyes, but he stopped himself. He knew she was right, and by the way she kept trying to glance at her watch subtly, he knew she was on edge about getting to work. This is not how he envisioned them reuniting, but he couldn't help break a small smile as they found their way back into their old rhythm so quickly- as no time had passed between them.

"Right. Then I will leave you to your duties, and I guess mine to my brothers. But, to be clear, my nephew isn't the only reason I came back, Detective." The way he stared down at her made her cheeks grow hot.

"And maybe that's something we can talk about later." Both of their eyes drew to her pocket as her phone began to vibrate once more in a more consistent tone to alert of an incoming call. She pulled it out to see Ella's name in large white print.

Lucifer took a step back to take his leave as he nodded in response to Chloe's potential plans for later that day. Before he could retract his wings, Chloe stopped him as her finger hovered over the green answer button. "Lucifer, I'm really happy you're back." His coy smile said everything to her, and he was gone.

* * *

8:21 am

Chloe ducked underneath the yellow caution tape and passed a forensic photographer in action around tire prints on the edge of the beach. Ella was crouched down over the deceased body measuring the length of each stab wound as Dan began to place his latex gloves on. "Hey, what do we have?" The heavyset man at her feet with multiple stab wounds laid face first in the sand. Claw marks around his hands proved he tried to drag himself away from the killer, and Chloe's eyes focused deeper on his last clutches for life.

"It's not pretty. Dude didn't have a chance. Graham Fletcher, 32, was found this morning by some joggers." Chloe glanced over to her left to see an officer taking a statement from a couple in running gear. One of the men was in more of a state of shock as his partner was clearly upset over the find. "He owns a private bakery, Cakeology. I think it's somewhere around here?"

Dan tried to hide his excitement as he kneeled down beside Ella. "This is Graham? Oh man, he's _the_ go-to pastry chef for weddings. He's been number one on the Knot for four years now." Dan looked up and remembered his audience as Chloe moved her aviators down her nose so her eyes could get a better look at her ex-husband. "Not that I follow that or anything- I just- um, how many stab wounds do we have here?"

Ella documented down her final measurements on her clipboard. "Right now, I see about 23 stab wounds from this angle, but can't be completely sure. They're all over the place. The largest is around two inches in width and some as deep as six inches. It looks like they all entered the skin pretty smoothly, so the blade wasn't serrated."

Chloe took black latex gloves from her back pocket and kneeled with her team to get a better look at the damaged tissue covering the man's back. "I have to guess a butcher knife."

Dan nodded across from her as he looked at the man's waistline, trying to find more wounds. "Could be the competition- someone thinking he doesn't deserve his recognition?"

Chloe looked at the man's attire. He was dressed in black slacks and a traditional chef white jacket, now soaked in red rust stains. Graham was coming from work, either his bakery or a wedding itself. "Or a really pissed off bride."

"Detective!" Her heart jumped at the sound of a familiar voice. A voice she was still getting used to being back. The butterflies that began to fly around in her stomach moved in a quicker tornado-like motion.

Chloe stood up quickly, spinning around as she whipped her sunglasses off her face. "Lucifer!"

Dan threw his head back, annoyed as his lips muttered, "What's he doing here?" Lucifer was more than excited to rejoin his old gang in fighting the big bad, and it was obvious. He had a new suit and big smile on as he worked his way down the beach with a coffee in hand.

"Lucifer's back?" Ella's face was in complete shock. Her wide eyes couldn't leave the tall, dark, and handsome man coming toward them. But, she was in more shock that both Chloe and Dan weren't as shocked as her. "Chloe, did you know he was back?"

Dan dropped his head down into his hand, massaging his temple. "Yeah, she knew." Lucifer joined his partner's side as his free hand lifted his sunglasses to his head.

"Lucifer, what are you doing here?" Lucifer handed Chloe the coffee in his hand.

"Thought you needed a little something to get you through the day. French pressed by yours truly."

Chloe found the warmth of the cardboard to-go cup and the smell of the coffee to be comforting, but her annoyance trumped his small good deed. "I told you, you can't be here."

"Yes, but I know your mixed signals. When you say one thing, you really mean the complete opposite."

Her head shook dramatically from side to side. "I've never sent you a mixed signal. When I say something to you, that is exactly what I mean."

Lucifer cocked his head to the side as he began to realize all the times he may have been wrong, but he shook his head out of it. "You're sending a mixed signal right now. You look very annoyed at me, but I know you're actually happy I'm here to help." Lucifer smiled brightly down on her as he watched her deadpan stare soften.

"Miss Lopez, I know you're happy to see me." Lucifer opened his arms, waiting for the famous Ella hug to wrap around him. Instead, Lucifer was met with a clipboard to his head, arm, and hip repeatedly.

"Happy? Happy? ¿Cómo pudiste irte sin decir adiós? ¿Dónde estabas? ¿Sabes lo asustado que estaba? Todo lo que pensaba era que estabas muerto en una zanja en alguna parte. Debería hacer que uno de mis hermanos te mate." Ella's anger completely took over as she continued to pound down her clipboard on the man double her size.

"Watch the face!" Lucifer covered his face and chest as much as he could with his arms as he felt the wrath of Ella.

"Okay, that's enough." Chloe took the clipboard from Ella as her friend's chest heaved up and down in dramatic breaths. After taking a second to calm down, Ella spoke again.

"It's been six months. No one knew where you were, and you come back here acting like everything's okay and that things can just go back to normal?" Ella turned around to Chloe, grabbing her clipboard back. "And you. How are you not madder than me right now? He completely left you. For the past six months, you just walked around with this horrible dark cloud over your head. You were miserable." Lucifer looked down at his partner, concerned. This was the second time he heard how his departure affected her for the worse.

"I wasn't miserable _._ I was fine."

Ella walked around the body at everyone's feet and joined Dan's side. "We have different definitions of 'fine' then. I know Lucifer can be Lucifer sometimes, and we all laugh about it, but he crossed a line this time." Chloe looked to her right and watched Lucifer begin to deflate slowly next to her. His posture was strong with his shoulders proud and chin erect, but his eyes were going to a darker place. I guess that was the burden of coming back. Not everyone was going to be as accepting and happy, not knowing what he sacrificed.

"I knew where he was." She wasn't planning for those words to come out of her mouth, but they naturally slipped as his eyes met hers.

"Detective…"

Dan's eyes practically jumped out their sockets as he looked to Chloe. "What do you mean, you knew where he was?"

Ella was equally confused and angered by this. "When we asked, you said you were as clueless as us."

Lucifer leaned in closer to Chloe, skeptical of how this situation was going to play out in his favor. "Are you sure you want to tell them?" He was proud and willing to tell anyone with an ear that he was the Devil, but he knew Chloe was more sensitive to the proclamation. With a small nod from his partner, Lucifer began to open his mouth, but Chloe cut him off.

"He was in witness protection." This equally surprised Ella, Dan, and Lucifer.

"As you two know, I was working a personal case against Father Kinley. He believed in a prophecy that he was the next Messiah, and his growing followers believed him too. I mean, you guys were there. You saw what came of it. It was horrible." Lucifer listened with as much interest and confusion as the other two. Some of this could be argued to be true in a way, and Lucifer wondered where she was going with this. "Father Kinely had almost an obsession with Lucifer and wanted to reform the devil himself. The FBI reached out to us, and Lucifer agreed to go undercover in the cult until it was too late. He tried to warn us about the mass suicide, but we didn't make it in time. Not all members were accounted for, though. Some were suspicious that he had ties to the LAPD and the FBI."

Lucifer was very impressed with the elaborate story, and by reading the faces across from him, he could tell that Ella and Dan were as entranced. "Very clever, Detective! Yes, I was away protecting witnesses."

Chloe quickly corrected him in a low voice. "Witness Protection."

He pointed to Chloe to thank her for the assist. "Yes, that. Horrible time away. Couldn't contact a soul."

Dan rubbed his chin, avoiding their eyes as he thought about the past six months. The story felt off, but it was believable. Ella began to look incredibly guilty for her spout of rage. "How are you back?"

Lucifer looked to Chloe for that answer, oblivious to how the story would end. "The FBI continued to track down their suspects these past months. Once all were confirmed and accounted for, Lucifer was given the option to come out of hiding."

Lucifer finished and took the opportunity to get the last word in. "And I chose to take my chances back here."

"Well, now I feel like an ass. Oh, man, that's horrible. Come here, big guy." Ella took a giant step over the dead man's legs and tightly hugged Lucifer around his torso, trapping his arms to his side. He managed to get some motion in his wrist and patted her on the back.

Dan cleared his throat to speak up. "Hey, I'm sorry, man. I imagine it was hard to be cut off like that."

Lucifer looked over to Chloe as Ella released her grip. "You have no clue." Chloe put her glasses back on to act as a shield against Lucifer's eyes. He always had a way to make her feel vulnerable when she didn't want to be. "But, I'm back now, and all I want is to just get back into it."

Ella nodded, looking back down at her clipboard. "I get it. Okay…"

Chloe lifted her pointer finger to stop Ella. "No. Lucifer needs to go home. If Wilcox sees him-"

Ella shook off the idea of the new Lieutenant hating on Lucifer. "Oh, it will be fine. Lucifer always finds a way to charm the most uncharmable people. So, to finish my thought earlier- I can safely say the time of death was anywhere between 3:00, and 4:00 am. From the angle of the stabs, I'd have to say it was someone shorter. Graham is about 6'1, so I'm assuming someone around 5'10, 5'9. And I mean, they had to be pretty strong too, because… well… look at the guy." The man at their feet was very large, weighing in over 300 lbs. Ella looked up at Lucifer. "This is typically where you'd make a bunch of inappropriate fat jokes."

Lucifer lit up at the reminder of his good old days. He rubbed his hands together, trying to think of where to start. "Right…" All eyes were on him, waiting. "Why can't I think of anything? This never happens."

"And this proves my point that you're not ready to be back. Come on." Chloe looped her arm into his yanking him away from the crime scene and up the beach. She lifted the yellow caution tape and guided him through it. "Lucifer, please hear me when I say I don't want to get in trouble with Wilcox." Her eyes quickly scanned the parking lot for any new vehicles onsight. Lieutenant Wilcox was known for showing up unannounced to scenes of her choosing to do check-ins. It put everyone on edge, but she had the right to as the Lieutenant.

"She really scares you, doesn't she?"

"She doesn't _scare_ me. I just need to follow everything by the book moving forward." His brows furrowed once more at the words 'moving forward.' They hadn't had the best time to catch-up on the past months, but he knew following the book was never her issue.

"Moving forward?"

Chloe caught herself as Lucifer pressed on, but she waved this away. "Lucifer, once we get your contract back, you're more than welcome to help, but in the meantime, please stay away." It was evident that this was something that stressed her out and made her uncomfortable.

"Okay, fine. But can I just say, your story was excellent. Almost sounded rehearsed."

"Because it was. I didn't think the whole going back to hell thing would be as believable. I had to prepare something, at least."

This utterly enamored lucifer. "You had hoped I would return?"

She tilted her head to the side, not understanding how he could think she _could_ lose hope on him. "I didn't need hope. I knew you'd come home." He almost looked embarrassed by this as a small smile formed on his lips. Chloe's attention soon moved to the sound of a black SUV's doors slamming shut. Lieutenant Wilcox stepped out of the car with hands on her hips overlooking the beach and crime scene. Still, out of her eyesight, Chloe pushed Lucifer farther away from the yellow caution tape. "Go." He defensively lifted his hands in defeat and took small steps back to make his exit.

* * *

1:46 pm

She felt her stomach drop as the elevator continued to fly up through the floors. Chloe squeezed her phone tighter in her right pocket, trying to stop her hands from trembling. Thirty minutes ago, she was interviewing the victim's wife at her home when she received a text from Lucifer, alerting her. "911. Meet at the penthouse. Emergency!"

She quickly looked at her watch as she impatiently waited to reach the top. The time had not moved from 1:46 pm. She found her mind racing once more, and the familiar dull ache from this morning came back behind her eyes. Did they find Michael? Was Charlie okay? Did she need to take Trixie out of school for her safety? Was Lucifer okay? The elevator came to a slow stop as the doors opened to the penthouse suite above Lux. The last time she walked out of this elevator, the entire place was covered in blankets of white, forgotten. Now, the home was brought back to life, and everything was back in its rightful place. The shelves were dusted, the glass bar was relit, and the balcony doors were open on the afternoon sky of LA, bringing in the bright sunshine and views of blue skies and rolling hills.

Lucifer corrected a few items on the table in front of him and hovered his hands over a plate to gage the look of the spread. "Lucifer, are you okay? Did you find Michael?" Lucifer turned around to greet his new guest with a single red rose in his hand. Chloe instinctively collected the rose in her free hand, and double looked down to the table at her side. Her confused eyes darted from the grilled cheese to the kung pao chicken to the lemon bars. There were at least eight different dishes in front of her. "Lucifer..."

"I thought you'd be hungry."

Chloe dropped her head back, vexed as Lucifer presented the food with his best Vanna White impression. "This is not a 911 text. I thought something was seriously wrong."

Lucifer straightened his blazer, trying to redeem himself. "This most certainly was an emergency. The food was going to get cold."

All of the anxiety that pumped through her body just seconds ago began to disappear as she looked back down to the table. "What is this?"

"They're all your favorite foods. You have the palette of a 10-year-old, by the way." She couldn't help but smirk at this. When she thought about it, she didn't remember the last time she had a meal. She remembered a granola bar during her stakeout last night with Maze and an apple this morning on the way out the door. Chloe had been experiencing so many emotions since last night that she forgot she had an appetite.

"If you're doing this because you feel guilty…"

"I'm doing this because we used to have lunch together all the time."

There was something in his eyes that was off when he spoke that made Chloe want to decipher it. "Have you seen your brother?"

"I have."

The tone of his voice told Chloe he was working his way around the truth. "This morning?"

His eyes wandered up to the ceiling as he tried to think of a response. "Not exactly. Took a detour."

Chloe's stomach started to churn at the different sweet-smelling foods below her, and she began to pick at a corner of the lemon bars near her. "Lucifer…"

"Every Tuesday at 11:00 am I have my appointment with the doctor. It doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I was replaced with Daddy Issue Danielle. That was our time." She couldn't help but give a sympathetic smile to the devil in front of her. This obviously hurt him as his eyes became more distant.

"It's like what Ella said earlier; it's been six months. I know that you want to go back to normal, but that's not the case for everyone here. We had to pick up the pieces and continue with our lives; move on. It's just going to take some time, that's all."

He placed his hands in his pockets as his eyes moved their way back to her. "Moved on?"

Chloe finished off the lemon bar piece by piece. "You know what I mean. Some people moved on easier than others."

He cleared his throat as his eyes became more somber. "You know, it's okay if you're one of those people. I would never ask you, or even expect you wait- especially with the way I left things here."

She tilted her head once more, not understanding how he could still undermine his own worth to her, even with the things she said earlier that day. She could see and feel the guilt radiate off of him, and that was the last thing she wanted. "You think I'd tell you I love you and then just join Tinder the next day?" He was still surprised by those three words leaving her mouth.

"I didn't take you for the Tinder type. Maybe more Match or Top Meet."

Her cheeks turned a soft pink as she laughed. "Nothing's changed, Lucifer."

He tried his best to hide his excitement as he stepped closer to her. "Well, then. I believe we were cheated this morning of a proper reunion." His hand cupped her face as his thumb smoothed over her cheek. She watched his lips move closer to hers, and just as his lips brushed hers, a strong presence plummeted down onto the balcony. "Oh, bloody hell. Can we just have a damn moment here?" Lucifer's aggravated voice grew with enough volume to make Chloe tense her shoulders.

Amenadiel retracted his wings as he stormed through the open balcony doors. "Luci, I told you to leave!" The heat in his eyes fumed out as he noticed the intimate scene he had just interrupted. Lucifer's eyes were beginning to change into a fiery red, and Chloe looked down almost embarrassed as Amenadiel stopped in his tracks with his mouth agape. "You two were having a moment. I'm- I'm sorry." Amenadiel turned his back to the couple, giving them their privacy. He folded his hands down at his waist and continued to stare out onto the blue sky until he felt comfortable enough to turn around.

"Thank you, brother. That is so much better." A sarcastic and annoyed Lucifer retrieved his hand back from his detective's cheek as she tried to soothe his red eyes away with soft rubs in his back.

"I think the moments passed, Amenadiel."

The angel looked over his shoulders to see if the coast was clear and awkwardly turned around. "Hi, Chloe. I'm sorry about that." She gave an understanding smile to Amenadiel and pushed Lucifer a little closer to his brother. "Luci, I told you to go home."

"And yet, I'm here. Did you really think I was going to go home knowing Michael was still out there?"

Amenadiel lifted his arms in defeat. "I don't know, little brother. You're obviously eager to find him. So eager that you forgot to mention that you're staying and avoided me all day. I had to find out from Linda. You thought getting a quick therapy session was more important?"

"I had other things to do. I was going to see you today… at some point."

Amenadiel crossed his arms and watched his brother trying to talk himself out of his irresponsibleness for the day. "I'm so glad that you're taking my son's life being endangered so well."

Lucifer charged toward his brother, shaking his head. "No. Don't. You know that I want to find Michael as much as you, but we searched every church in LA. Nothing. If Michael wanted to be found, he'd make his presence known. He probably still doesn't have a plan- never has. Always acted on impulse."

Amenadiel rolled his eyes. "Sounds familiar."

Lucifer raised an aggressive finger to his brother, drawing his attention back to him. "If he is ready to go this far, then I know he will want us to know his plan before. He always loved a challenge. Loved watching me squirm, that's for sure. We can't waste our energy and strength in finding a man who cannot be found. We need to prepare for what's to come. We're both exhausted. This is what he wants."

Chloe watched Lucifer defend himself and actually make a point to his careless behavior for a change, but to watch Amenadiel soften his shoulders and drop his arms was a different kind of a pain in her. She had always known Amenadiel to be strong, compassionate, and optimistic. She had yet to see him in such a vulnerable state in which he looked so defeated. He was scared and tired. She could only imagine what she would feel if this was her Trixie.

"I can't stop looking."

Lucifer patted his brother on the arm, looking more concerned than usual. "Then, we won't. But, we need to know our limits and when to stop before we've both come undone."

Amenadiel shook his head and turned his back to his brother once more. "I still don't think it's wise for you to be here. I can't-"

"Well, like it or not, brother, I'm not going anywhere. If something happens to me, that's my choice. You know me, I always loved a little family drama. Don't mind stirring the pot."

Amenadiel dropped his head as he closed his eyes, finally accepting that this was one thing out of his control, and he appreciated it. "Okay. So, you'll help me."

"Right now? Because I was kind of busy…"

Chloe joined the two brothers at the balcony doors and put her hand on Lucifer's back. "Go. I have more than enough food to keep me company, and then I'm back to working my case." She turned her attention toward Amenadiel and reached her hand out to touch his arm. "Let me know if I can help in any way."

Amenadiel made his way farther out to the balcony, and his grey wings stretched out far as he waited for his brother to join him. Lucifer turned around to face Chloe and slowly walked back toward the balcony. "Raincheck?" She tried to be discreet as she looked at Amenadiel's wings. Lucifer joined his brother and stretched out his white wings as Chloe finally dropped her jaw in awe. Both brothers looked up toward the sun and disappeared in a flash.

"I will never get used to that."

* * *

8:12 pm

It had been one of the longest days she had experienced in a long time. Sounds were growing duller, and the lights were beginning to be too bright. No amount of Advil she took could get rid of the never-ending dull headache she had. Kicking her front door behind her, Chloe threw her bag to the bench next to her and lazily kicked off her shoes. She had to stop at the accent mirror leading to her living room when she didn't recognize the person staring back at her. Her dirty blonde hair was frayed out with loose ends flying everywhere, dark circles accented her puffy eyes that looked like they've seen better days, and her skin looked dull, dehydrated, and tired. The last time she slept was going on 38 hours ago. Dan did find her dozing off on the car ride to a second suspect's home for interviews that afternoon.

All she wanted was a warm bath, but knew she wouldn't last a minute soaking in her lavender essential oils before falling asleep and potentially drowning. Chloe settled for a cold shower and made sure to time herself, or else she would find herself standing asleep with pruney skin. Her skin was magically lotioned, her hair was damp in untamed curls, and her favorite oversized flannel was on. She didn't know if she was laughing or crying as she unraveled her bed and saw her smooth sheets waiting for her underneath. Before she could creep into her bed, the distant sound of pounding at her front door came to fruition.

Maze was staying at Linda's, and Trixie was still at Dan's for the week, but she continued to wait in hopes that someone would magically appear and get the door for her. She worked her way down her stairs and opened her front door, knowing who would be on the other side. Lucifer barged right into the opening as Chloe pressed her forehead against her closing door. She took in a deep breath to muster up whatever energy she had left for this visit.

"My brother has gone insane. Homeless shelters, food banks, catholic schools, the desert."

Chloe's heavy eyelids subsided as she came to. "The desert?" Lucifer looked not himself. His hair was coming undone from it's smoothed back gel, layers of dark circles were present under his eyes, and his white button-down was beginning to look wrinkled and beige. He was awake for as long as her, probably longer. Her eyes softened on him as he looked completely unhinged as he continued to rant on about his brother. He was exhausted but wouldn't admit it.

She locked the door behind her and passed him, continuing upstairs, knowing Lucifer would instinctively follow her. "He's gone completely mental. I keep telling him over and over again, Michael will show himself to us when he wants it. I didn't realize this until our little church tour yesterday. Did you know there are over 2,400 churches in LA?"

She would chime in with a few "mmhmm" or "yeah," but nothing profound. She didn't have the energy for anything profound.

"Shoes." Chloe pointed down at his brown oxfords, and he stopped mid-sentence realizing it was rude to track his desert sand into her bedroom. He slid his feet out and left them in the hallways as he continued to follow her.

"Maze is typically better when it comes to helping with these things, but not today. She's still not the happiest about my choices in coming back here. Can't blame her, honestly." Chloe took his blazer off and found a home for it on a hanger in her closet. When she got back to the edge of her bed, she began to concentrate harder on unbuttoning his shirt. Her fingers were starting to feel the exhaustion as they continued to slip as she pushed the button through the hole.

Lucifer looked down at her weak attempt and began to look around the bedroom, confused. "What's happening?"

Chloe forced her eyes wider as her vision began to blur from the dim lighting of a single light on her nightstand. "I'm exhausted. You're exhausted. We're going to sleep before one of us passes out." She finally got the last button to slip through the last whole, leaving his chest and abdomen bare. Chloe waved her hand fatigued, letting him finish.

"No, no-no. We can't go to sleep; it's only-" His eyes squinted down at his watch. "Why are my eyes so blurry. It's only 9:00 pm."

Chloe took the blanket at the end of the bed and draped it over her comforter for more warmth and weight in the night. "Exactly. That's almost 40 hours, Lucifer. I need to go to bed. We humans aren't built for this. And it doesn't look like you are either."

"Jetlag from Hell is a real thing. But we haven't had our moment yet."

She took a deep sigh through her nose as she watched his eyes change. They were so hurt and yet hopeful at the same time. "Lucifer, why does this moment mean so much to you? I don't need a big grand gesture. You just being here is enough for me. If it means that much to you, we have all tomorrow- after we've slept."

On top of looking tired, Lucifer began to look so defeated. This is not what he wanted for her. He owed her something big and romantic and something that would have no interruptions. He owed her so much more than he could give her. She unraveled her side of the bed and felt concerned over him standing there in deep thought. Chloe paused and waited in the silence. The temperature of the room changed. His voice was so soft and hoarse as he spoke. "I left you. I abandoned you." She felt her heart slowly break away into pieces seeing him this way. He was guilty, but she knew he had to finish whatever was on his mind.

"You begged me not to go and- and I hated myself for what I did to you. I still do. I knew coming back here wasn't going to be easy, and the reactions I got from my brother, Maze, everyone, I understood that. I hurt everyone even when I was trying to do what was right by them. I was so scared to see you, knowing I hurt you the most, and you were the only one to be genuinely happy that I was back. I don't understand. I-" She bit down her bottom lip as her tired eyes blurred with tears. He hated himself so much that he couldn't see past it. He looked so broken.

"I put you through too much to even think you could forgive me, but you do. I picked up the small comments about you being miserable while I was away. Maze filled me in on your time together. I hurt you, why can't you admit that. Can you just admit that you hate me for leaving?"

She closed her eyes tightly as a few tears went down her cheeks, but she brushed them away with her sleeve. "When you left, yes, I was miserable. The last thing I wanted was to lose you, and I still did. I was miserable because I lost my partner and my best friend and any hope I had for us. I was miserable because I knew you never wanted to go back there. I was miserable with the whole situation, but I was never mad or hated _you_." She took a deep breath and met him face to face at the end of her bed. He couldn't look at her as he listened, but she still held his face in her hands. "You should never feel guilty about leaving. Ever. You did something amazing, and you should never forget that. You're the most selfless person I know." She searched for his eyes, but they were still distant, on the brink of believing. "But you still feel like you owe me something. So, come on."

He got into bed beside her and watched her turn off the final source of light from her nightstand. She moved closer to him, sliding herself into his arms. Their legs intertwined as she laid her head on his bare chest and her hand over his heart. She felt his heartbeats calm, and their breaths synced together as his arms wrapped around her tighter. This was the safest she had felt in a long time. "This is our moment."

They were both so comfortable and still in the total darkness. The sound of their hearts thumping against each other's bodies and the calming feeling of their breaths rising and sinking became almost therapeutic. Their fight to stay awake came to an end as their heavy eyelids came to a close.


	5. I'm All In

Blue and purple lights scanned the walls of Lux while a sea of heads bobbed on the dance floor. The lights spiraled over the banner above the DJ that read "The Devil's Back" in deep red. It was a weekend of celebration.

Friday evening, the precinct held a special happy hour to welcome back their favorite civilian consultant at the Irish pub, Flaherty's. Chloe knew it was very low-key compared to his version of a celebration, but he was completely in his element. She forgot how good he was at working a room. He had every female officer blushing, and every male officer turning red from laughing so hard. Officers came in waves and waited patiently for their turn with him, but she just watched from a distance with a bottle of beer curled into her chest. Dan kept her company, although his focus was really on the soccer game broadcasted above their heads. Lucifer would glance over at his partner every-so-often to ensure she was nearby or entertained, but he could never get a break. As the drinks continued to flow, the more adventurous the off-duty officers became with their singing. Lucifer found his way to the upright piano off in the corner of the bar and took request after request, singing along with his peers. It always felt like the group continued to grow and never dwindle. By the time the moon came out, Lucifer had done his own version of a final call by paying for everyone at the gyro food truck outside the pub.

But tonight was his night- his celebration. The line for Lux was practically wrapped around the entire building, but the people waited. Maze watched the drinks and money pour over her bar as she leaned on the back counter behind her bartenders. She told herself that it wouldn't happen tonight, but she continued to jerk her head in the direction of any black-haired beauty, hoping it was her. It never was. Maze thought she heard Eve's laugh from nearby, but it was just another girl. She cocked an eyebrow looking at the clientele tonight and knew her next distraction was somewhere close by.

Her eyes darted up to Amenadiel, who hid in the shadows on the balcony above. He was working tonight. Amenadiel gripped the railing as his shoulders hunched over the balcony scanning the crowd below him. He thought his brother was insane for hosting this night at first, but then his tune quickly changed as he pushed for the event to be the biggest spectacle it could be. Being in LA for as long as he had, he knew the value of word of mouth in this town. The bigger the spectacle, the higher the chance a certain brother would make himself known. Linda had chosen to stay home with Charlie, feeling safer now that Amenadiel installed cameras into each room of their home, covering every inch. If there was any new movement, Amenadiel was notified. They were both confident the more Lucifer played up his devil self to humanity, the more angered their brother would be and more likely to make an appearance in the nightclub.

As the bass dropped below, dancers dressed in red, lace lingerie, and glittered Devil horned headbands came out from the back corners of the club. Half the dancers took their place on the raised platforms, and the others joined the party in the middle performing a synchronized dance. Confetti slowly rained down from above, coating everyone in gold and red. Lucifer and Maze made sure this was a spectacle, and everyone was soaking it up. Lucifer sat in his reserved booth, taking a slow sip of his scotch. As the brown liquid crept closer to his lips, the smell of the top-shelf liquor made his nose sting in the best way. He missed all of this. He missed humans. He watched strangers grow closer on the dance floor, grinding their hips in wants of companionship, smelled the desperation off of everyone wanting to be a part of something bigger, and listened to each new and familiar face who visited him at his booth. They all wondered the same thing- could this man make your desires come true?

The confetti continued to slowly fall from above, making the scene around him look as if it were stuck in slow motion. His eyes focused on the dirty-blonde at the corner of the bar from across the club. Her loose curls fell deeper down her back as she looked up at the confetti and lights mixing beautifully above. The champagne flute met her dramatic red lip as she took her first sip in between her two friends. She had missed his grand entrance, and secretly wanted to be on his arm while he walked down those steps, but she had a duty. Her daughter was going to a birthday party sleepover being held at the Roosevelt hotel, and boys were going to be spending the night too. She couldn't help but use her years of interrogation on the parents, but the attention drew back to her and her outfit. They were used to seeing Chloe in work attire or an outfit that looked like she was preparing for a major house cleaning. Their eyes scanned up from her strappy heels to her black cocktail dress with a revealing slit in the thigh to her plump red lips. The interrogation turned on her as the parents wanted to know what event they were missing out on.

By the time she searched for him at his booth, he was already pulled into a new conversation with an older gentleman- someone that did not look like they belonged in Lux. By the view of the conversation, it was light and filled with laughter, and she made the strong assumption that it was one of the many people he had a deal with welcoming him back. Chloe soon felt eyes in her direction and the uncomfortableness that came with not wanting to meet eyes with the stranger. A bright blonde woman in the middle of the bar kept awkwardly glancing in her direction, and it was apparent she was equally uncomfortable. Chloe tracked the girl's gaze to Dan, who sat next to her. Dan crouched his body into a shell avoiding the interaction at all costs and continued to stare down at his jeans as he mumbled out an, "Oh no…"

"Do you know her?" Chloe took another sip of her champagne as her eyes darted back and forth, watching this awkward tennis match of avoidance.

Dan nervously spun his bottled beer in his hand as he released an annoyed sigh. "I know her… in a sense. We shared, what was supposed to be one night, together. I tried every excuse in the book, but she found a way around it. She stayed for the entire weekend. A very uncomfortable weekend. It's safe to say I didn't call her after that." The blonde grabbed her vodka soda and joined her friends on the second tier of the club, and soon all faces were pointing back to Dan as they gossiped.

"I didn't know you were dating again."

Dan threw back a few chugs of his Budweiser, and a small pop of suction sounded off as his lips released from the bottle. He glanced over his shoulder and watched some of the professional dancers move their hips in figure 8s to the beat. "I wouldn't necessarily call it dating."

Dan hadn't dated since Charlotte had passed, and he was now filling up his time of loneliness with strangers in his bed. She wanted to press him on about his choice to sleep around but knew it wasn't her place. There was still a sadness hidden behind his eyes that he wasn't ready to let go of. She was actually surprised to see him here tonight. Last night was understandable because he was around his coworkers and free drinks, but tonight he could have easily bailed, and Lucifer would not notice. He didn't even put that much effort into his look. While everyone was in button-downs and cocktail dresses, Dan showed off a pair of jeans and a simple black tee, almost blending in with security around the club.

Her friend Ella was dressed better for the occasion in her dark purple bodycon dress and dramatic eye makeup. Ella's eyes had yet to leave her phone as she texted away with a small smirk in her lips. Chloe watched her friend in amusement as she continued to move her thumbs in quick taps on her screen. Ella's cheeks grew a bright red while she sucked her lips into a tight, discreet smile. She didn't remember the last time she saw her friend this happy and flirty. Ella had decided to take the plunge and begin dating a couple of months ago, but she wasn't telling a lot of her friends. So far, they were all duds. Of the few good dates, by the second or third date, the chemistry began to fizzle out, or her work schedule created too big of an obstacle for some. "Who are you texting?"

Ella popped her head up, remembering where she was and placed her phone down, trying to look innocent. "I don't want to jinx it." She nervously sipped down her whiskey sour and looked around the bar.

Chloe leaned in, trying to read her friend deeper. "Are you dating, too? How have I missed this? Why didn't you tell me?"

Ella started to feel a bit guilty as she shrugged her shoulders and pulled her drink in closer. "Well, you know, you weren't your best self this past couple of weeks. And, it's not just you, I didn't tell a lot of people. I feel like whenever I tell someone about a guy, boom, they completely vanish and then I look like a joke. So, when I think I finally find someone serious enough, then I'll tell people."

Chloe couldn't help but slouch a little on her barstool, thinking of how bad a friend she had been. She was completely wrapped up in her own dilemma that she didn't take the time to check-in with the people around her. She thought back to the past six months and how her focus stayed on the case and not the personal lives of her two closest coworkers. She was so lost in her thoughts and was scared to be open to the two people who were the most clueless to Lucifer's world. When she shut herself away, they shut themselves away too. Chloe laid her right hand over Ella's left. "I'm sorry if I didn't seem like I was present. But you know you can tell me anything when you feel like it's right. I'm just happy you look happy right now."

Ella's worry and embarrassment quickly vanished as she looked back up to Chloe. Something was different about her. It wasn't that she put extra effort into her hair or the fact her black dress highlighted her best features, but there was a lightness to Chloe. It took time to adjust, but Ella had gotten used to a more reserved and distant version of her coworker. A version that was always hiding behind her thoughts and displaying darkness in her eyes. Ella knew there was a distance between them as Chloe continued to spend more alone time with Maze, and she did feel guilty, rubbing her love life in her face knowing Lucifer was gone. Although Chloe would deny it and say they were just partners, Ella always knew there was more. She had been a part of their wild ride from the beginning and watched the many attempts both put toward the relationship, both confiding in her separately and then right when she thought it was their time, something would happen, and they were no more. But the Chloe sitting in front of her now looked as if she was finally awake from her sleeping curse. There was more color to her and a smile in her eyes. She was genuinely happy.

A door that she thought was closed, reopened, and all Ella wanted was to tell Chloe everything. By the look on Dan's face, she knew right now was not the time for that. All she could think about was her date last night. "I am happy. We just had our real first date last night, and it was just so easy, you know?"

Dan pushed his empty beer bottle forward for the bartenders to take and swiveled his body toward Ella. "What do you mean, real?"

Ella began to grow uncomfortable again at the thought of speaking on her dating life and wasn't a fan of Dan listening in. Since their secretive time together, she has tried to pretend it never happened and avoid any personal talk. "Don't make fun- but we kind of met at this speed dating thing at my church. It's lame, I know, but we just clicked, and it's going really well."

Chloe shook her head, finishing off her glass of champagne. "No, it's not lame. Your church is important to you, and it makes sense to meet someone there. Why don't you invite him out tonight?"

It obvious she really liked this guy by how nervous she was acting. "I don't know. I think it's too soon for that—I kind of like having this for myself right now. As I said, I don't want to jinx it. I've already said too much." She peeked down at her phone to read his messages, and Chloe smirked, watching her blush again. She was happy for her friend.

Maze personally refilled Chloe's champagne glass, watching the bubbles touch the brim. She slid the glass forward and collected the empty bottle in front of Dan. He lifted his finger to ask for another beer, but Maze placed one hand on her hip, furrowing her brows at him. "I'm not bartending tonight."

Dan pointed to the glass in Chloe's hand, annoyed. "What do you mean? You just refilled her glass." Maze's deadpan stare did not waver.

"I'm just following orders." Maze cleared her throat and attempted her best version of a British accent. "Maze, the detective should never have an empty glass in her hand tonight." Chloe tried to hide her smile as she took a sip of the fresh glass of champagne with the bubbles tickling her upper lip. Dan sat back in his stool, rolling his eyes as he mustered up some energy to wave his arm at one of the bartenders. Chloe peeked over her shoulder once more to find a curly-haired girl giggling and chewing her straw as she flirted with Lucifer. He was leaning back, swirling the last drop of his scotch, listening intently to every word that left her mouth. His eyes looked amused, but his grin said he was growing bored. It helped to be the partner of such an emotive man. Chloe had learned through the years what all of his different smiles meant, and this one was easy to read. She signaled to Maze for a refresh on Lucifer's drink and excused herself away from her friends and into the crowded nightclub.

"And like that's when I knew being an influencer was my true passion. So far, I have sponsors from FabFitFun and HelloFresh. But I'm just, like, waiting for my big break and eyeing Adidas right now." She screamed over the music while playing with a piece of her hair in between her fingers. Her eyes scanned his body like a cat in heat as he swirled his scotch, watching her breath grow deeper by the time her eyes met his. Lucifer had met many women in his time on Earth, and many were like the one standing in front of him. Not too long ago would he take advantage of this situation, but watching this girl, all he could see was that she was young and lost. She was desperate to escape the stress of her unknown future and financial stability by using him as a distraction for the night.

"And is that what you truly want- a big label on your Instagram? What is it that you desire?"

Her face softened, her eyes went blank, and her head slowly swayed following his eyes. He waited in anticipation of her answer. It had been a while since he pulled out people's deepest, darkest desires, but it was just like riding a bike. "I- I- I just want to spend the night with you." Her hand slapped her mouth shut, not knowing how that could come out of her mouth.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed. I'm quite irresistible, but unfortunately, that's not on the table tonight. What I can do is…" Lucifer's eyes scanned around him, and they stopped on one man lightly swaying to the beat. He looked like the type of man who spent every morning getting a surf in and spending too much time and product on his hair to make it look like he rolled out of bed. It could be easily assumed he was an aspiring actor stuck waiting tables. Lucifer watched the man's eyes scaling up the influencer next to him, the girl he wanted to get rid of. He guided the curly-haired beauty deeper into the crowd until they reached a pack of men together.

"Have I introduced you to my friend…" Lucifer presented his hand out to the surfer waiting for him to fill in the blanks on his name.

"Chad."

Lucifer double looked to the man to his right in disgust. "Ch- Chad? Oh, I'm so sorry for you." Lucifer placed a hand on Chad's shoulder, pushing him closer to the influencer. "My friend, Chad, here would be a far better fit for you. I can already tell that you two will hit it off. You both obviously enjoy drinks with umbrellas in them; there's a start. Match made in, well, you know." Lucifer didn't even give time to listen to their ice break and turned his back on the two young lovebirds as he made his way back to his booth. He threw back the last drops of scotch and handed it off to a barback running through the dance floor with stacked glasses in his arms.

As the crowd became impenetrable around him, Lucifer stopped in the middle of the dance floor, confused by what he was feeling. He used to love being a part of these endless crowds every night, meeting new people, feeding off of their desires, fears, and heartbreak. But as he stood there, watching strangers celebrate his return, he couldn't help but feel like something was off. Two hours ago, when he walked down those stairs, and the crowd screamed in victory for him, he felt a high, but it was now losing its luster. Something was missing, and he couldn't place it.

Almost as if it were choreographed, a few bodies parted, creating a direct path back to his booth where a woman waited for him with two drinks in her hands. Their eyes locked and never parted as he made his way closer to her. He received his scotch from her and lifted his glass to cheer her champagne glass. His hungry eyes rolled from her legs to her breasts, to her red lips. "Detective, you look…" He couldn't find his words at that moment. She was always beautiful to him, but tonight he was speechless.

She smirked, watching him try to place his words, but she playfully shrugged her shoulders, finishing the challenge for him. "I know." Her response was so confident and flirty; it took him back a bit. Chloe invited herself to sit down and flung one leg over the other, revealing her smooth leg that reflected a single line of sheen down her thigh.

Lucifer took his place once more in the booth, sitting as close as he could to his detective. "I will say, you know how to make a man feel wanted, with all the avoiding you've been doing."

Chloe released a small chuckle as she exposed her tight jawline looking out into the crowd. "I'm not avoiding you, Lucifer. I just know that I have the luxury of seeing you every day. You're a popular man. I'm just giving the people what they want."

"And what about what I want? It is my night." She looked back to him and swore she could see her reflection in his teasing eyes, but their gaze broke from the visit of a new guest. By the shift in temperature and his tense body, Chloe knew it was an unwelcome guest, but Lucifer put on a facade acting happily surprised. He stood up with open arms and positioned himself in front of Chloe to block his guest's view.

"Rosario! I didn't expect to see you tonight?" Chloe leaned to her side to view the short man with his entourage. Rosario reached up to Lucifer's chest in height and made up for his stature in weight. His salt and pepper hair thinly curled in a low ring around his head and met his prominently white speckled beard. The burnt orange button-down he wore opened at his chest, revealing a thin gold chain hidden in his curled hair. Rosario had two bodyguards and a very young woman wrapping her arms around his bicep. He had a face that Chloe thought she knew but couldn't place.

"I couldn't miss the return of the Mr. Morningstar. When I heard the news of your departure, well, let's just say it was bittersweet." Chloe stood from her seat, taking her place at Lucifer's side. "Oh, what do we have here? Trading in black for blonde, I see." Rosario lifted Chloe's free hand, bringing it to his lips for a light kiss. "It's such a pleasure to meet a woman as beautiful as you." His eye contact made her cringe as his lips hovered for too long over her knuckles. Lucifer's arm wrapped around Chloe's back, and his hand guided her closer to him to break the uncomfortable introduction. "Its unfortunate things didn't pan out with Miss Eve, but I can now see why." Chloe felt her eyes naturally narrow in disgust, and her hard stare created more excitement in Rosario. "Oh, and she's got some heat to her. I approve."

Lucifer took a subtle step in front of Chloe and waved his hand to the bar. "What I don't approve of is how you don't have any drinks. Please, help yourself to the bar, on me."

Rosario's thick brows sprung up in surprise by his gracious host. "Oh, no. I couldn't possibly do that. You're the man of the hour. I should be treating you to drinks." Lucifer laid a firm hand on Rosario's shoulder.

"I insist." Lucifer's smile was wide and genuine, but his eyes were filled with resentment.

Rosario clapped his hands together, thrilled by the turn of events. "My contacts in Miami said it was advantageous for me that you were gone, but who knew to owe a man a favor could be so rewarding. Come." Rosario bowed his head in Chloe's direction and rallied up his men and friend to the bar. It was such a small interaction, but it was enough to shift the mood. Lucifer sat back down to take an aggressive sip from his scotch as he watched Rosario move his way through the club.

Chloe continued to stand, trying to piece the puzzle together in her head. "How do I know him?" She wasn't looking for a response as she whispered out into the deep sea of people and EDM beats that shook the ground, but Lucifer answered.

"Rosario Velasco." He watched the group reach the bar, and Maze push the bartenders aside to pay extra attention to Rosario and his entourage.

Chloe whipped her head around as she fell back down into her seat. The lightbulb finally came to life above her head. "Rosario Velasco? The arms dealer? What are you doing, making deals with him, Lucifer? He is seriously a dangerous man."

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees as he swished his scotch back and forth in his mouth. He wasn't ready to look her in the eyes. With a hard swallow, he leaned back into the booth, crossing one leg over the other, closing his body off from his partner. "Some girls like a romantic dinner for two. Eve's view of date night was introducing her new friends to me and watching their desires play out." He paused for a moment. "The deal is done. It has been. He's indebted to me now. " His thumb traced the brim of his glass as he waited for her scolding, but it didn't come. Chloe could see the guilt written all over his face and let her feelings of frustration and fear disappear. He knew that his partnership with Rosario wasn't the wisest of choices, but it was created at a time when all he could see in the mirror was a monster. It was his job as the Devil to forge deals with men like Rosario, and Eve gave him that extra push.

She sunk deeper into the leather booth and placed a hand on his arm. "You're right. It doesn't matter anymore. It's in the past." Her reassurance wasn't enough for him, because deep down, he knew it did bother her- the way he worked as the Devil outside of their time together.

"It does matter." The heavy bass blasting through the speakers and dancers jumping up and down to the beat didn't match the scene at Lucifer's booth.

"Lucifer, I already told you, I'm not afraid anymore. I accept you. I know you." He finished off his drink and shook his head as the brown liquid ran down his throat. There was so much hope in her voice, and that scared him.

"It's not just about me; it's more than that." He looked around him and knew this wasn't the place for this type of conversation. He turned toward his partner, and she could see the seriousness in his eyes. "Will you come with me?" Lucifer stood once more and held his hand out for her to grab. She began to feel nervous but knew she had to trust him and listen to him at this moment. After she placed her hand in his, he navigated them through the dense crowd, up the stairs, and to the elevator that led to his penthouse suite. The ride was silent, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

Lucifer's first visit was to his bar once the elevator doors opened. He poured himself another glass of scotch and offered his partner a drink, but she refused. Chloe stood patiently, waiting watching how nervous he was becoming, but he was silent. "Lucifer, talk to me."

He took a deep sip and stared off distantly at his amber lit bar. "There is so much you don't know about this past couple of years."

"It doesn't matter. It won't change how I feel."

Lucifer looked over his shoulder with a disbelieving grin. "It matters. There is so much more than just accepting me. You don't know the world I'm a part of, and you have a right to know. All I want to do is move forward, but I know it's not fair for you to come into this blind. Haven't you wondered about all the times you thought I was muttering in metaphors about my family? Ever wonder about the truth behind it all?"

She watched him and knew it did matter, especially to him. When she saw his truth for the first time, she reacted in a way that made Lucifer lose trust in her. They rebuilt it, but it took a lot of time, and by seeing how nervous he was, she knew he didn't know how she was going to react to this new information. This was important to him, and it was now important to her. She admitted to herself that she did wonder about his odd behavior in the past, but it was never something as powerful as grasping the idea that the Devil was real, and your partner. Chloe walked to his leather chair and got comfortable knowing she was in for a long night.

"Okay. Tell me. I want to know everything." She scooped the hair that draped around her face in curls behind her ears as Lucifer made his way to the couch across from her.

"I should probably start from the beginning, then."

* * *

He watched her pace back and forth across his balcony from the bar. Lucifer had opened a bottle of red for her to help wash down the past, and when he poured her a small glass of wine, she took the bottle instead, and it had not left her hand. Chloe had kicked off her heels and traced around his home barefoot while he sat at his bar, watching and waiting. Her eyes were glossed over, and her free hand held up its pointer finger as if she were doing math in her head. He didn't know if she even could feel the temperature drop as the night grew darker with how lost she looked in her mind. Knowing her thin spaghetti-strapped dress was not the best source of warmth, Lucifer walked across his home, taking his black blazer off his back.

Like a pendulum swaying east and west, Lucifer waited for the right time to place his jacket over the pacing woman in front of him. She stopped to take a sip from the bottle of wine, and he draped her shoulders with as much warmth as he could muster. His hands lingered on her shoulders for just an extra second before they took their place in his pockets. It was obvious her mind was putting the pieces together still, so he gave her space. As he made his way back to the bar, he watched his elevator doors part and revealed his older brother.

Amenadiel joined his brother at the bar, but his eyes locked on Chloe as he moved further into the apartment. He studied the focused look on Chloe and the worried look on his brother and knew he was intruding on a serious situation. "Is everything okay?"

Both brothers turned their backs to the bar and watched Chloe move side to side, drowning in the warmth of Lucifer's oversized jacket. "She's processing," Lucifer said the words out loud slowly, but it wasn't to inform Amenadiel; Lucifer was trying to persuade himself. Lucifer had talked for over an hour about everything he thought was pertinent, and she just sat in silence, watching the words come out of his mouth. All the stories were connected, which caused little time to comprehend everything. Her poker face was strong and stone-cold. Even at the most climatic parts of his story, she looked indifferent. Once she grabbed the wine bottle for herself, he sighed with relief, knowing she was still alive in there. He was taking her silence much better than the average person as he saw it as an improvement from the last time she learned a large truth. She was in eyesight and not off running to Europe- he saw it as a win so far.

"Processing what?"

Lucifer took a long pause before answering his brother, not knowing how he was going to react. "I told her everything." He could see from his peripheral view Amenadiel jerking his head in surprise.

"Everything… as in?"

Lucifer turned around to face the tall stack of hard liquor behind his bar. "Malcolm, dying the first time around, Mummy as Charlotte, dying the second time around, Azrael's blade, Charlotte as Charlotte…" Lucifer's eyes went to a more distant and darker place. "... Uriel. Caine."

Amenadiel placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Luci, I'm proud of you. It takes a lot to let her in like that. You're doing the right thing."

Lucifer glanced over his shoulder to see if the human pendulum had stopped swinging, but he could see shadows of movement. "So, why does it feel like it was a mistake to tell her?" Lucifer impatiently tapped on the counter as Amenadiel made his way around the bar to pour two glasses of the closest shelved drink. He tore open a bottle and poured two fingers width of scotch into both glasses.

"She's already experienced parts of our world, the worst part of them actually. I think you forget she was with us in The Mayan, and Chloe is still standing; next to you, I might add. Maybe what you're feeling isn't fear that she won't accept the past, but that she _will_ see past it. And if she accepts it, then you lose her as your excuse as to why you keep holding onto the past. I know you still haven't forgiven yourself for Uriel, for the things that happened with mom. You're still scared to forgive yourself and move on."

Lucifer took a long shot back and bit his bottom lip as the scotch burned down his throat. "I think you've been spending too much time with the Doctor." Amenadiel rolled his eyes as Lucifer brushed the theory away. "I'm assuming our brother was a no show?"

Amenadiel watched Chloe finally slow her steps and make her way to leaning over the balcony railing, looking over LA's night sky. "I didn't see him. But, we tried. At this point, I just want to go home and see my son." Amenadiel finished his drink as his eyes narrowed on Chloe. He went into deep thought, wondering what was going through her head. "Did you tell her about…"

Lucifer looked down at the translucent brown liquid, rippling along the bottom of his glass. "Not yet. I'm saving that for last." Amenadiel gave a faint smile in the distance and motioned for Lucifer to turn around. Chloe had come back inside and pulled Lucifer's jacket tighter around her body as she returned a small wave to Amenadiel. The bottle of wine was empty and on the floor as she took her place on the couch, bringing her feet under her bottom and curling up like a ball under the oversized blazer.

"I should leave you two." Amenadiel patted his brother on the side of the arm and returned Chloe's wave as he headed toward the elevator. Once the doors closed, Lucifer made his way back to his couch and waited for her to speak, but she didn't say anything. So many things were running through her head, and being watched by Lucifer wasn't helping.

She took a deep breath through her nose and sighed it silently out as she prepared to speak. "I don't know what to say." Her heart began to feel conflicted with the number of mixed feelings rushing through her veins. She saw how patient he watched her and the care in his eyes. She was scaring him more by not talking and knew she had to just say what she was thinking. "I'm sorry about your mom. I'm even more sorry about Uriel. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you and the way I acted. I know that even if you told me back then, I wouldn't have believed you, but I'm just sorry."

"I'm not looking for an apology, Detective. I know things would have been different if you knew."

She crossed arms under his jacket, pushing harder against her stomach. "I know. It's just how I feel. I also feel sick. I can't believe I gave myself to Caine. It's one thing that he was the sinnerman, but Caine. The things you did together." She looked over the couch to the bookcase covering her mouth in disbelief. "I don't know how I was so blind."

"You loved him."

Chloe slowly shook her head, thinking about the relationship she shared with Pierce. "No. I loved the relationship- the idea of it really. I wasn't alone anymore and was with someone reliable and stable. I loved the idea of what he could give me, but I wasn't in love with him. You can't love someone you don't know." She looked betrayed and stared off beyond Lucifer's shoulders and onto his grand piano. Chloe had spent the majority of her time in relationships where the men didn't show her their true colors. It always felt one-sided or off, like something was missing. But it never felt that way with Lucifer. He was always honest with her, since the beginning, even if she didn't believe him. Now she knew all of the things he did for her, to protect her and keep her safe. In the line of work, she would do whatever she could to protect him, but to know that he actually died for her- twice- she didn't know how to respond to that. A lot of information came at her fast, and she just needed time to process alone.

Before she could extend her goodnight, Lucifer spoke. "There's one more thing that you need to know."

She sat up more erect, preparing herself for the next blow. "Saving the best for last?"

Lucifer's laugh was dry, and from what she could see in his eyes, the topic was heavy. "Something like that. When we were working the case against Dr. Carlisle, something came to light. Over 30 years ago, Amenadiel was sent to Earth by my father to bless a couple who could not conceive. My mother believed my father planned to have this person cross paths with me." Lucifer couldn't look at her as he spoke. Chloe's eyes began to widen, and her lips trembled as she knew where this was going. "Someone immune to my powers. Someone who makes me vulnerable." He paused as she began to shake her head in disbelief. "Their names were Penelope and John Decker."

Her mother always said she was a miracle, but she just thought it was a thing moms said. Chloe stood from the couch, taking Lucifer's jacket off her shoulders. "I don't- I don't understand. What does that mean? Am I like the Eve to your Adam or something?" There was a mix of hurt, anger, and confusion mixing into one inside of her.

Lucifer leaned forward, clasping his hands as his elbows balanced on his thighs. "I think we're safe on that front. I've counted my ribs enough times. We don't know anything at this point."

Chloe took a deep breath as she felt her stomach turn. "We?" She held her stomach with her hand as the sick feeling crept back in.

"Amenadiel, Maze, Linda."

She shook her head again in disbelief, knowing all of her friends knew this crucial information about her own life, and she was entirely in the dark. Chloe already felt small as she accepted the ideas of heaven and hell, multi-universes, but now she felt even smaller. She looked down and maneuvered her feet back into her heels. Her body tensed as her breaths became shorter. A strong burning force swirled in her stomach and worked its way up to her face. "I need to go."

Lucifer watched as she struggled to put her heels back on and knew she was rattled with anxiety. He stood and held his hand out for her take to stabilize herself, but she refused. "Chloe, we need to talk about this."

With both feet secured in, Chloe made her way toward the elevator, but Lucifer stopped her by grabbing her hand and turning her around. She avoided his eyes that were filled with despair and regret, knowing they'd make her want to stay. "Lucifer, I can't think here. I can't breathe here. I- I just want to go home. Please let me go." That was the last thing he wanted, but he released his hands from hers and watched her leave.

* * *

Chloe's drive home was silent, and her mind was blank. The only comfort was the sound of her tires against the road, and the small high-pitch squeak her brakes made when she came to a stop. When she walked into her home, Chloe kicked off her heels and followed the trail of miscellaneous clothes thrown around her living room and up the stairs. From the sounds coming from Maze's room, Chloe knew she'd be bumping into a new house guest in the morning.

She lazily removed her makeup, threw her hair up into a messy bun, and found a comfortable oversized t-shirt to wear before slipping into her bed. She searched for any sense of feeling beyond numbness, but there was nothing. Where she laid in bed and what she felt stayed the same when her eyes opened to a new day. Chloe listened to the faint noises coming from the kitchen as Maze made herself a bowl of cereal.

She turned onto her other side in bed and tried to force herself back to sleep, but it was no use. Giving up, Chloe laid flat on her back and stared off into the ceiling remembering everything Lucifer had told her. She wished she could go back and see everything for what it was. Go back in time to tell her old self to open her eyes and see past the skepticism.

Chloe sat up in bed and started from the beginning again, thinking back to Graham. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine everything happening. It was difficult to see the big picture when she didn't have physical evidence in front of her. She began to piece the massive puzzle of his world with hers together. Retelling herself the stories sounded different the second time around. When Lucifer told the story, he simply glossed over the things he did as if it were a small, pointless detail, but it was just the opposite. The more Chloe progressed through the past, the more she noted all the things Lucifer did to protect her and put her best interest first, even if that meant sacrificing his life for it. Hours had passed by the time she felt like she was at peace with understanding everything from Lucifer's point of view and now hers. In the end, nothing from the past changed how she felt about her partner. If anything, it brought light to all of the times she thought Lucifer had really gone insane. The world he came from didn't sound as forgiving as people preached.

She still felt numb throughout her body as her mind began to focus on the word miracle. Had her whole life been carefully orchestrated to be where it was now? If that were true, she couldn't help be disgusted with the one holy man above. How could he throw her through a lost childhood, the death of a parent, and a loveless marriage? He crafted her to walk through life with walls and to see people as untrustworthy. But that changed when she met Lucifer. He was the first person she truly felt vulnerable with, but she was also made to make him vulnerable.

Chloe had worked her way around her bedroom through her journey of acceptance and found herself sitting on her bedroom floor, propped up against her bed. She ran the palms of her hands up her face and through her hair. She was supposedly created for him or to cross paths with him. Supposedly, being the main word she told herself. If that were, supposedly, true, then was their relationship crafted too? Did she grow to love him, or was that always engrained in her from the beginning? Were her feelings real? Like a movie reel rapidly flipping through scenes in her head, she thought of their story.

The numbness that had resided in her from the night prior finally washed away. There was a weightless feeling in her chest, and her heart began to beat with more passion. The heaviness her mind carried disappeared at the thought of them. It was not love at first sight, that was for sure, but it was real. It _is_ real. Chloe smiled to herself, thinking of him. She was a woman of facts, and from what it sounded like, Lucifer was clueless as to why Chloe was chosen to be a miracle. The only person who really knew was God himself. She couldn't keep drowning herself in the what-ifs when the answers were out there, and she knew exactly who she wanted by her side when they learned the truth.

* * *

Lucifer stood on the beach in the same suit he wore the night before. He was in a place where he was beyond tired but couldn't sleep. This was the only place he could think to go to clear his mind. It was watching the horizon that made him feel calm and grounded.

"I dreamt of this place recently." Lucifer jerked his head around at the sound of Chloe's voice. He wasn't expecting to see her so soon, or ever if his fear could really speak. She stood shoulder to shoulder with her partner with the same content gaze out on the horizon. A small smile hid on her lips as she remembered the comfort and peace she felt at the end of that dream, very similar to what she was feeling now.

She could feel his eyes staring her down, waiting for her to say anything about last night. "When my dad passed away, I remembered thinking that was it. He was the only person to ever be in my corner, support me, and love me unconditionally. I wasn't going to find that again. I always said I never wanted someone to love me so much that they'd die for me. But the truth is, I never thought someone could love me that much. I never thought I could be that special to someone."

Chloe turned to Lucifer, stretching her neck up to meet his eyes. "Everything you did since we met, it doesn't change how I feel. I haven't lived in your world as long as you, but I'd like to think that I would have done the same. And it's not because we were destined to meet or whatever the speculation is. It's because I saw the good in you when you didn't see it yourself. I see who you are, and I'm going to continue to choose to see the best in you." She quickly glanced down at her boots in the sand feeling her cheeks grow red.

"I don't know what my purpose is. Why I was created or why I'm immune to you, but I have to believe that everything in my life was my own choosing. I created my own story, and I'm going to hold on to that. I know we'll figure it out- we always do."

Lucifer slowly cocked his head to the side as his eyes softened on her. "Detective, what are you saying?"

Chloe took a deep breath in and released it while she stepped closer to him. "What I'm trying to say is… I'm all in. I'm in this for the long haul."

The heavyweight placed on Lucifer's shoulders disappeared as they relaxed deeper down his back. He smiled a relieved and endearing smile once his hands left their pockets and found their home cupping her face. "We're really going to do this, aren't we?"

She smiled something small and sprung up onto her toes to close the gap between their lips. It was light and soft, but enough to answer his question. They parted for only a second to feel this moment as they stared at each other's lips. Lucifer pulled her in tighter, deepening their kiss. It was the first real kiss they shared since the night he left, and both found comfort knowing this wasn't going to be their last.

The beach was hazy and calm. A light breeze swept through them, bringing with it warmth, peace, and hope.


	6. Lucifer, We're The Pig

"Stop staring at me like that."

Her cheeks were growing warmer as her fingers typed rapidly away on her keyboard. Lucifer propped his elbow on her desk to balance his chin on the palm of his hand. He watched her with a look of admiration. Chloe was quickly finishing her report that was supposed to be completed the night before, but someone happened to pull her away earlier than expected for reservations at a new rooftop tapas bar. She wasn't blaming him for her missed deadlines lately, because she was always willing to drop the paperwork for a night out with him and had been for the past couple of nights.

"Staring at you like what?" Lucifer watched as her eyes darted to him and quickly back to her report. The light pink hue in the apples of her cheeks grew a deeper red, and her lips tried their best to hide her smile. He was well aware of how he looked right now but didn't care if someone saw him.

"Like that." Her middle finger flicked the scroll wheel in her mouse quickly up and down the report to ensure all fields were completed before entering it into the system.

"I always stare at you like this." Lucifer sat back in the chair beside her desk and crossed one leg over the other. His hands rested peacefully in his lap as his eyes turned more amused, watching her squirming in her chair. She completed the report and swiveled her chair to face the man in a three-piece suit.

"I know you do, but it's different now." Her eyes widened to emphasize the small secret that only they shared. Ever since they decided to be together officially, they were happy keeping it between them for now. This was mainly Chloe's idea, especially when thinking of their dynamic at work. He tried his best to mask his eye roll.

"I still don't understand why we need to hide it. What's the big deal if I just…" He leaned over her desk, drawing his face closer to hers. Her skin tightened, and her blood felt like it was practically boiling against her skin as she watched his lips grow closer to hers. Chloe ungracefully shot out of her chair, grabbing Lucifer's wrist and pulling him behind her. Lucifer caught his footing after he was pushed into the evidence room as Chloe quickly shut the door.

"We need to set boundaries." Chloe held her right hand up, trying to mark a safe distance between them as Lucifer slowly walked closer to her.

"Boundaries?" He continued to approach her until his chest stopped at her hand. There was a look of amusement on his face as he cocked his head to the side. Her stern eyes and pursed lips made him smirk.

"When we're at work, we need to be professional and concentrate on the case. No distractions with- with all of this." Chloe waved her hand a few inches away from his face emphasizing he was the distraction.

"I'm always professional." Lucifer tugged down on his blazer, offended by the comment.

"We both know that's far from the truth. That's why we're having this conversation. Listen, If people find out about us, we may not be able to work together."

"But working with Dan and Caine wasn't an issue?"

Chloe crossed her arms defensively, remembering all of her past romances and how they stayed close to her work. "They weren't my partner."

He could see how insecure she was growing over this topic. He couldn't take this seriously because he knew nothing would change between them. The only different thing was the comfort of knowing they had each other when the day was over, but it was apparent she was uneasy about something. Her mind was going to a place that he wanted to bring her back from.

"Just so I'm clear when we're at work, we aren't together." Chloe nodded her head surprised that no rebuttal followed. Lucifer stepped closer, looking down on her as their toes touched. "And this is unprofessional?" Her nods slowed down as her breaths became more sharp and shallow, seeing how close he was to her. He lowered his head to hers and hovered only inches away from her lips. "And this is completely off the table?" His lips lightly brushed against hers to develop a soft kiss waiting to grow deeper. At first, Chloe allowed herself to find comfort in his embrace, but she quickly snapped herself out of the moment and pushed his lips away with her pointer finger.

"No, Lucifer, this is exactly what I was talking about." As much as she tried to scold him, she couldn't be taken seriously as she broke out into a laugh. "And I'm leaving now because I obviously can't be trusted alone with you." Chloe turned around, trying to regain herself as quickly as possible before walking back out into the bullpen. As the door opened, Lucifer chased after his partner, but both stopped at the sound of their names.

"Detective Decker. Mr. Morningstar." Lieutenant Wilcox stood at the top of the split stairs waving her hand toward herself to imply they follow her as she disappeared into her office. Chloe found it difficult to complete her hard swallow feeling her neck grow tight.

She released a small whisper under her breath. "She knows."

Lucifer wasn't as stressed as his partner when he watched the Lieutenant disappear. "No, she doesn't. Now, come on, Detective."

They sat across from the Lieutenant at very different temperaments. Lucifer sat back in his chair, calm and collected, waiting for Wilcox to speak, not phased by the awkward silence filling the room. Chloe was on edge, watching her boss calmly read the report in front of her. She folded her hands tightly in her lap to prevent herself from fiddling her fingers nervously. All they could see was the top of Lt. Wilcox's fiery red hair, which was gelled back into a tight bun with hints of grey in her roots. She continued to read the documents in front of her as if she had no company.

Lucifer basked in the uncomfortable silence as he knew this was a basic power move on her part. He had a lot of experience with this tactic in Hell. His eyes scanned around the office to find any connection to her, but it was bare. One could quickly think this office was completely vacant by the lack of personality and color. No photos of family, adventures around the world, awards or recognition- completely blank. Her desk was neat and orderly, with minimal supply in the cup holders and documents in the bin on her desk. Even her desktop hid all of her icons. He looked over to his left to check-in with Chloe, but her eyes were completely glued on the Lieutenant, waiting for her to speak first.

Wilcox lifted the last sheet in the manila folder, scanning her eyes from left to right. She closed the file, folded her hands together over the folder, and her tight grin accented her smile lines and the crow's feet near her eyes. Chloe released a slow, silent sigh trying to remove all of her discomforts. "Thank you for taking the time to see me today. I don't think I've had the opportunity to welcome Mr. Morningstar back into the precinct formally. Your record speaks for itself."

As Lucifer smiled, enjoying the recognition, Chloe tried to decipher the tone of her Lieutenant's voice. How did she mean that last sentence? Was that good or bad? Why were they in her office?

"With that being said, I've taken the time to get to know this precinct- the team dynamics, the strengths, and areas of improvement. Through that time, I've heard a lot of talk about- hmm- how do I put this? Your unique partnership. From what it sounds like, you two have a certain chemistry?"

Chloe slowly closed her eyes, scared of what was going to come. Wilcox knew; she had to, or else she wouldn't bring this up. She also probably knew about her past relationships in the office, even the one with a previous Lieutenant. Even though there had been no comments about her performance over the past six months, Chloe's gut told herself that it was noticed. She tried to save face as much as she could. "Chemistry? No. No, I don't think so? I mean, no offense to Lucifer, but no. We've just been partners for long enough that we understand each other and…" Chloe knew she was rambling but couldn't stop herself.

Lucifer leaned in more intrigued as he placed an arm on Wilcox's desk. "Tell me, Lieutenant, what are people saying about us?"

Wilcox leaned back in her desk chair, discouraged by Chloe's words, completely ignoring Lucifer's push to gossip. "Well, that's disappointing. I was looking forward to utilizing your partnership."

Both Chloe and Lucifer perked up, surprised, and spoke out in unison, "You were?" Wilcox presented the manila folder under her folded hands to the team. When the folder opened, the attention was brought to the two photos in the top corner.

"Haris and Sara Bryant. We've been following them for some time now. They started small in the fraud and theft game, but I think they always wanted more of a thrill. They started traveling around to different resorts in California, befriending couples on vacation, robbing them while they were out on excursions, and hitting the road, changing their identity each time. Their last couple of hits have been couples on their honeymoon. The rings, savings, everything wiped clean."

Lucifer sat back with the photo of Haris in his hands. "I'm sorry, how are they making friends with newlyweds? If honeymooners were doing it right, they wouldn't even think to leave their room." Chloe lightly hit his arm to make him stop talking. Wilcox placed another manila folder in front of them.

"The Bryants are known for their charm, but don't be fooled." Chloe opened the new folder handed to her and found crime scene photos of a deceased couple in their hotel room. "The last couple lost more than their money. There is still a lot of speculation on what went wrong here. Was stealing not enough for them? Were they caught in the act? We don't know, but we don't want it to happen again." Chloe handed some of the gorey photos to Lucifer, and she adjusted herself in her chair.

"How were they not caught before if we know they're the ones who did this?" Wilcox collapsed back into her chair, staring off into the corner of the room. Chloe could tell this was a frustrating case her boss had been following for some time.

"We don't have enough substantial proof to arrest them. It's not a coincidence that they _happen_ to be present at each hotel the crime takes place, and they _happen_ to fit the description from all witnesses. Each time we do track them down, their alibis always check out. There has never been consistency in their alias pattern, so we never had the chance to catch them in time. Until now. I got a tip they are checking into a resort in Malibu this weekend."

Lucifer kept staring at the deceased woman face down in the bed, bludgeoned to death from the lamp on the nightstand. Blood was splattered on the white sheets and against the headboard. From the looks of it, Lucifer could see the amount of power and passion that went into each blow. "How do you know it's them?"

"They're checking in as Byron and Hannah Reeves. Those were the names of the victims in your hands, Mr. Morningstar. I feel very strongly about this, and that's why I'm asking you two to be there this weekend. We've never had the opportunity to be ahead of them, but now we can catch them. We need you two to grab their attention- be the bait. We'll have a team onsite watching and waiting." Wilcox paused, watching for their reactions. Lucifer looked almost delightedly surprised as Chloe's eyes stayed focused on the files. "I don't mean to put pressure on you, but I would like a response as quickly as possible so that I can push all the moving pieces forward."

Lucifer tossed the photos over onto the desk and held a finger up. "Just so I'm clear, you want us to act like a real-life couple for work? For a case? All professional, of course…" He rubbed his chin, trying to hide his smile as he looked over at Chloe. "Interesting." She glared at his all-knowing grin and tried her best to maintain face in front of her boss.

"Yes, that is what I am asking." Wilcox's eyes darted between the two partners. "Would that be an issue?"

Chloe released a sigh through her nose as she shook her head. "No, Ma'am. Not an issue." She ignored the satisfied grin of Lucifer's gleaming face and concentrated on the appreciative nod that came from the Lieutenant.

"Perfect. I'll have all of your case information together by the end of the day tomorrow. "

* * *

Chloe slowed her pace as she took in the scent of cherry blossoms walking through the lobby of the Japanese inspired resort. A large koi pond laid beneath the wooden pathway that led to the reception desk. The pond opened to the left of the lobby bringing the guest's gaze to a 15-foot high mural of a geisha surrounded by orchids and Japanese characters. The tall, tinted glass wall that featured the ocean lit the room in a perfect red tint. Chloe had the luxury of checking in early to the resort to meet with the manager and to review Bryant's resort agenda.

Chloe sat with the manager for some time, reassuring him that the LAPD will not be a disruption to his guests and staff. They reviewed the target couple's planned room placement, spa treatments, and reservations before they reviewed her accommodations. Chloe opened her welcome envelope and found a gold room key slip into her palm. It was noticeably different from the other resort keys stacked on the manager's desk. "Is there a reason this key is different?"

The manager guided Chloe back to the front of the reception area before walking the grounds himself. "You booked the terrace suite." Chloe put the key back into the envelope to hand it back.

"I think there was a mix-up. We reserved a basic room somewhere close to the Reeves."

The manager continued to escort her past the counter and toward the elevator. "Yes, and then your partner called and changed the reservation. He checked in about an hour ago. I thought you were aware?" Her tight-lipped smile and annoyed eyes said otherwise. She made her way through the resort, finding her way to the suite. With a dull glow of green light, the door unlocked.

The entire suite was entranced in the mid-morning glow of the sun approaching above the resort. The exterior wall that ran the whole length of the suite, connecting each room, was floor to ceiling windows with folding patio doors to bring the outside in. They were high enough only to have a view of the ocean, and the minimal furnishings focused on that horizon. A large beige sectional sat in the middle of the suite with a long dining room table and accent chairs to the right. The balcony that traveled along the outside of the suite connected to a private patio outside the bedroom. The patio was covered by a pergola above and showcased an outdoor fireplace with two patio daybeds. The open concept suite drew the most attention to the bedroom. The king-sized platform bed sat low to the ground with teak wood finishings. A large hand-painted mural of Japanese mountains overlapping one another in blue and purple tones became the focal point of the room. Steam wafted in from the back corner of the bedroom as her ears followed the sound of a shower.

"Lucifer?" The shower came to a stop, and Chloe listened to the faint sound of wet feet slapping against the hardwoods toward her. Lucifer was completely soaked from head to toe as he stepped into sight, rubbing the resort towel behind his head. She had gotten used to seeing him naked since the beginning of their partnership, but now that things were different between them, this view was affecting her differently. She looked into his eyes, forcing herself just to look there.

"Ah, Detective, you finally made it. Are you alright?"

She kept opening her mouth to speak, but nothing was coming out. Chloe could feel how hot her face was growing and swallowed the burning ball turning in her throat. Her eyes were beginning to develop a mind of their own as they began to travel down his body, but she stopped them by closing her eyes and regaining her strength. "Lucifer, what is this?" She waved her arm around the suite while keeping her eyes focused on the hardwoods.

"If we want to grab their attention, we need to stay in a room within our means. Also, the rainfall shower here, you have to try it." Chloe's deadpan stare met his eyes once more. "Oh, it's fine. I worked out the kinks with the Lieutenant. I'm more than happy to fund this couple's weekend."

"This isn't a couple's weekend. We're working a case." She watched him cock his head to the side, not believing her. "And can you please put some pants on." He dropped his towel and turned around, walking back into the bedroom where his suit laid out perfectly across the bed. "Why am I finding it hard to believe Wilcox said this was okay?" Chloe raised her voice as he walked across the suite naked.

Lucifer talked out from the bedroom as Chloe dropped her two-weekend bags. She carried the smaller bag to the dining room table to extract the case files hidden away. "We thought it made sense for me to, well, be me. If they googled my name, it would work more in our favor than she thought." Chloe stacked the files into her organized fashion as she listened. "She _trusted_ that I take the lead on how to grab their attention at my own expense. Why do I feel like my wife doesn't trust me on this? That's not the way to start a happy marriage."

Chloe took in a deep breath, already knowing Lucifer was going to take their fake marriage too far. "Speaking of, did you remember the rings?" Lucifer popped his left hand out from around the corner showing the gold band around his ring finger.

"Wearing mine already. Yours is on the coffee table." Chloe walked toward the sectional, finding the black velvet ring box on the table next to Lucifer's welcome package from the resort. Chloe froze when she opened the box to a 4ct. Emerald cut ring on a thin silver band. She placed the box down and just stared at it from a distance with wide eyes. Lucifer walked out from the bedroom, buttoning up his dress shirt from the bottom.

"Lucifer- this- I-" The only thing she could think to do was point to the ring with a weak finger. "This was not the ring they gave us."

"Of course, it isn't. That was a poor excuse for a ring. You needed a microscope to make out if it was a diamond or lint." He paused, seeing the mixed look of amazement and fear on his partner's face. "Do you not like it?"

"It's huge."

Lucifer continued to tuck in his shirt, watching her face, confused. "That's the point, is it not?" He sat beside her, taking in the same site of the ring. Chloe plucked the silver showstopper out of his silk cushion and slowly slid it onto her left ring finger. She was expecting it to be much heavier, but it fit around her finger perfectly. The corner of Lucifer's lips crept into a small smile as he watched her rocking her left-hand side to side, watching the light reflect off the ring.

"How much was this?"

"By the look on your face, I think it's best you don't know."

Chloe pushed both of her hands out in front of her to steady herself as she thought of how to word her thoughts calmly. She pivoted her body toward his on the couch and placed her hands onto his. "Okay, moving forward, you need to run these ideas by me. We need to be partners in this case. That means no more surprises. This case means a lot to the Lieutenant, which means it means a lot to me. Please, don't go overboard on this."

His eyes softened on her as he could see the worry in her face. "No more surprises, I promise." A faint knock on the suite's door broke their moment, and Lucifer hoped that Chloe didn't hear it, but as her eyes narrowed on him, he knew it was hard to ignore. "I may have ordered a couples massage?" Her face told him she was slowly entering the realm of anger. He lifted a finger to ease her mind. "And I will send them away." Chloe slowly nodded her head, encouraging him to remove his last surprise.

As Lucifer opened the door, a familiar voice made Chloe look back to the entrance. "Mr. Morningstar." A cart was rolled into the room with stacked luggage and a familiar face. The look on Lucifer's face was similar to a child meeting their hero for the first time as he stared at Dan in a modern bellhop uniform. Chloe removed herself from the couch to meet Dan, who unzipped the top bag to present five pieces of hi-tech surveillance equipment. "We don't pack light at the LAPD."

Lucifer bit down on his tongue as he smiled wide, raising his phone from his pocket. Dan handed over some of the cameras to Chloe while Lucifer took picture after picture of Dan in his uniform. "Seriously?" Dan threw a hand up to block the view of the camera lens that came toward him.

Lucifer began to walk back to the sectional, texting rapidly away. "Maze is going to love this."

She didn't know if it was because she was used to their antics or the overpowering weight of pressure on this case, but Chloe found a way to tune out the bickering boys and began to find the best places in the room for the cameras. When Dan finally calmed down, he helped Chloe place three cameras sporadically around the main suite space. The cameras were small enough to blend in with the decor undetected, and each was set at different eye levels to secure the focus on each culprit's face. The last two cameras were placed in the bedroom at different angles to catch the culprits searching through the nightstands and another facing the closet. Chloe opened Dan's laptop to test the camera angles with Dan walking through the suite and Lucifer hanging his different suits in the bedroom. "I think we're good."

Dan slid his laptop back into the luggage on the cart. "Okay, so the team is set up in our room. I'm going to drop this off and get ready for tonight." Chloe took the card from Dan's hand with the room number and officers working. "You guys will see me later tonight as the bartender. I'll just be working the floor to keep a watchful eye on the Bryants. If they go off schedule, I'll know about it." Lucifer leaned his side against the doorway, connecting the bedroom to the rest of the suite.

"Bellboy moonlighting as a bartender- do you have a fun uniform for that one, too? I need to know for my scrapbook." Lucifer waved his phone teasingly as Dan pulled out one more item from the suitcase.

"One last thing. Here." Dan placed a taser gun into Chloe's hand with a more serious look on his face.

"A taser? I don't need this; I brought my holster."

Dan placed both of his hands onto his hips, staring down at the gun. "It's not for that. It's for him." He jerked his head in Lucifer's direction.

Lucifer raised his intrigued brow and teased, "Kinky."

Dan pushed the taser gun closer to Chloe. "Just in case he tries anything." Dan turned to face Lucifer in his power stance and pointed around the room to the hidden cameras. "We're watching you."

Chloe shook her head at the unnecessary overprotectiveness and placed the taser back into the suitcase. "Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle Lucifer."

She felt her face grow warm once more as Lucifer spoke out across the room, "I can attest to that."

* * *

She was still getting used to the large piece on her finger as her thumb continued to move the silver band back and forth, knocking the diamond against her pinky and middle finger. Lucifer had his arm wrapped around Chloe's waist as they waited for their dinner reservation. He leaned in, whispering in her ear. "We should tell him."

"Dan is the last person who should know. You want to tell him just to see his reaction, which I have a feeling won't be great." Lucifer looked over his shoulder to the epicenter of the resort, where a large round bar began to treat guests to drinks. Half the circular bar was inside the resort surrounded by red leather booths for lounging and a pianist playing light music in the background. The other half of the bar continued beyond the tall glass wall and treated guests who wanted to enjoy their beverage on the outdoor patio while listening to the ocean at night. Glass lanterns hung from the trees outside and lit the patio in romantic amber light. Dan was drying off martini glasses and continuously moving around all sides of the bar aiding to the mixologists.

"Okay, fine. I stand by my first choice, Maze."

Chloe looked out over the dining tables trying to find their target, but the condensed restaurant was making it difficult to view the different faces. "Maze probably already knows."

By the tone of her voice, he could tell she was beginning to feel uncomfortable, causing him to slightly narrow his eyes to push the topic more. "Then, the Doctor, my brother…"

"I think your brother and Linda are a little preoccupied right now. It feels kind of rude to rub our relationship in their faces when they're scared for their son's safety every night. I don't know why you're so eager to tell people we're together." She kept her voice low as she watched the hostess listen to a voice on her earpiece.

"And I don't know why you're so eager _not_ to."

Chloe opened her mouth the rebuttal, but she choked on her words. He felt his heart drop a little deeper in his chest, watching the doubt in her eyes.

"Mr. Morningstar? Your table is ready."

Ignoring everything he knew about manners, Lucifer pointed at the hostess looking down at Chloe. "Can I at least tell her? A complete stranger?"

Chloe released an apologetic smile to the young woman and waved her hand at Lucifer. "Knock yourself out."

Lucifer lifted his chest more proud and squeezed Chloe tighter to his side. "After many years of will-they-won't-they, we are happy to share that we're finally together. And very happy, if I might add."

Chloe lifted her left hand to show off her massive ring to the hostess. She practically squealed out of excitement, looking back up to Lucifer. "We finally took the plunge. We got married!" The hostess held her menus tight to her chest with a jaw almost dropping to the floor. The ring definitely shook the woman to her core. Lucifer tried his best to hide his smug smile, knowing he got played.

"Oh, my- That is so exciting. We're so honored that you're celebrating with us tonight. I'll see what we can do to make your stay even more of a celebration. Please, come this way."

Lucifer leaned down once more to whisper in Chloe's ear. "You set me up for that." He wasn't as mad as he was impressed with her, and Chloe took the lead following the hostess pulling Lucifer along by his hand.

All of the tables were shoulders distance apart from one another, creating a very intimate ambiance. It would be effortless to listen in on your neighbor's conversation or even to grab a quick bite of their meal. As some guests saw this as an uncomfortable experience, Chloe and Lucifer saw it as the best opportunity. The table reserved for them was planned to be directly next to the "Reeves," who were being served their first course of miso soup. They did not look like the stereotypical criminals one would imagine. Sara Bryant had soft, voluminous strawberry blonde hair that cut off at her collar bone. She had small freckles scattered across her nose and down her shoulders. Her long, slender body wore her designer dress in a way that would make any woman insecure. Haris had a sharp nose to match his sharp jawline. His skin had a natural, healthy glow to it, and his light brown hair made his crystal blue eyes pop. They were a couple who were the embodiment of confidence.

Chloe squeezed her way between the tables to place herself in the booth, forcing her left side to face the couple. Lucifer laid out his right hand across the table, and she naturally fell her left hand into his. His thumb began to gently stroke her knuckles as he studied the menu in front of him, but Chloe sat, trying to listen to the couple next to her. Their topic was light and focused on their food. It was like they were any other couple here tonight. A waiter approached Chloe and Lucifer's table with a copper ice bucket and a chilled bottle of champagne that emitted a white smoke from its top. "I hear congratulations are in order! My name is Zeek; I have the pleasure of serving you two tonight. We would love to gift you our finest bottle of champagne, on the house." Zeek began to pour the bottle into two champagne glasses as he continued small talk. "Are you two honeymooning with us long?"

Lucifer sensed the couple to his right listening with piqued interest. As Chloe spoke, he took the opportunity to bring the hand he held up to his lips for a light kiss shining the ring in their direction. "Oh, just for the weekend to unwind from the wedding. We take off Monday for…"

She looked to Lucifer to answer, and he perked up at the opportunity to contribute. "Fiji."

Zeek seemed very impressed as he handed their glasses out. "That is very exciting. I know you two were just seated, so I will give you some time with the menu. Enjoy." Lucifer lifted his glass to cheers hers, and they sipped the bubbly concoction as a hand grabbed their attention.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we couldn't help but overhear the great news. My husband and I want to extend our congratulations! We're actually celebrating our one year anniversary this weekend. So, celebrations all around. I'm sorry, how rude of me- this is my husband, Byron. I'm Hannah."

Chloe placed a hand on her heart, absorbing the heartfelt congratulations. "Aw, thank you. And congratulations to you two! They do say the first year is the hardest. This is my… husband, sorry I'm still getting used to saying that, Lucifer Morningstar. I'm Jane." Hannah opened her mouth to speak but didn't know how to respond.

Byron lifted a faint finger putting the pieces together in his head. "Lu- Lucifer? As in the Devil?"

Lucifer smiled brightly back at the couple proud of his name but understood where humans found it to be unusual. "My parents had a sick sense of humor."

Hannah quickly brought the attention back to her when she released a dramatic gasp as she looked down at Chloe's ring. "Look at that rock! Can I?" Chloe offered her left hand out for Hannah to get a better look at the ring on her finger, ignoring Lucifer's "I told you so" grin. Hannah shoved Chloe's hand toward Byron for his viewing pleasure. He raised his brow so high in shock that they almost blended in with his hairline. Hannah looked back up to the couple with a dreamlike look in her eyes. "Oh, with a ring like this, I can't even imagine how amazing the wedding was. I want to hear everything; if you don't mind."

Lucifer and Chloe looked at one another, waiting for the other to take the lead, but Chloe sipped her champagne for longer than he anticipated causing him to find his way around the truth. "Well, this will be both of our second marriages, so it wasn't too crazy. We had our moment on a beach." Hannah continued to listen while rocking Chloe's hand to see the ring shimmer in the different lighting.

Chloe reached across the outside of the table with her free hand to signal that she would take over. "It was small. Why spend the money on a wedding when we can buy a house, travel…"

Hannah interrupted, eagerly lifting the ring higher. "Or spend it all on a memorable ring like this!" Byron waved his hand to his wife to grab her attention.

"Okay, honey, I think Jane's ready for her hand back." It was a quick and almost unnoticeable exchange of eyes between the couple, but Chloe noticed it as she took another sip from her drink. She relaxed her hand back into Lucifer's as Byron spoke out. "I mean, I think I see our wedding and honeymoon combined in that ring. God only knows how much that was."

Lucifer tilted his head to the side, bothered by the comment. "That's a common misconception. My father doesn't _know_ everything. This was all my doing." Both Byron and Hannah paused at his comment and by the serious look on his face. Suddenly, Hannah lifted a finger to Lucifer, catching the joke cackling loudly as Byron clapped his hands together, unable to contain his laughter.

"Oh, I get it. You're Lucifer… God is your father." Byron held his stomach as he laughed harder. "Oh, man, you're a riot."

And just like that, they were pulled in. The drinks continued to flow, and the conversation was never-ending. They ate their meals side by side, even trading bites of some of the items on their plates. Dinner turned into dessert, and dessert turned into drinks at the bar. They hid away into a circular booth near the glass standing wall, and Hannah relaxed back into her husband's arms. She kept rubbing her belly and voicing the hate she felt for herself for overeating. They charged everything back to the room that night, and Chloe wondered whose poor soul out in the world was receiving the credit card statements. There was no doubt that the people who played the Reeves were charming. Anybody could easily fall for them, and many past victims did. Chloe listened to Byron's passion for being an entrepreneur and Hannah's love-hate relationship of working in public relations. They had their stories down flat, and it was believable. Chloe wondered how often they practiced and rehearsed their stories.

They had a way of making you feel heard and asked the questions people always wanted to be asked. When either Chloe or Lucifer spoke, the Reeves were perceptive enough to adapt their tone or parrot their body language to create a stronger bond. They were good, Chloe thought. It was times like these that Chloe was grateful for her partner. Although they acted like the perfect, innocent couple, Lucifer knew precisely the type of people who sat across from him- selfish, eager, manipulative, cold. He had built relationships with these types of people many times before and knew exactly how to charm them right back. When Chloe began to feel tired of playing the charade, Lucifer would pick up the pieces finding ways to make the Reeves laugh until they couldn't breathe or listen with deep anticipation to every story. From the flushed look in Bryon's cheeks and the small slur in speech from Hannah, it was apparent they were enjoying their company and free fun as Lucifer insisted on paying for their drinks through their celebratory night.

The Reeves were so affectionate with one another that they could make other couples self-doubt their own relationships. Byron continued to rub his wife's arms and shoulders as she played with a gold bracelet around her right arm. She noticed Lucifer and Chloe noticing the piece on her, and she lifted it a bit higher to give a better view. "Anniversary present." Byron smiled something sinister as he kissed the top of her head. The bracelet was thick and circular with a small slit at the top to highlight what looked like an animal's head on both ends.

Chloe leaned in a little closer to learn the type of animal, and Hannah watched with intrigue to see if she could figure it out. "Is that a cat?"

"A panther." She looked for their reactions, but Chloe and Lucifer did not flinch. If anything, they were more confused. Hannah stared down at her bracelet, admiring the fine details. "People are so intimidated by the creatures, but they really are beautiful things. Panthers represent power and regrowth. You can release all of your fears and be the person you were always supposed to be. When I saw this, I just knew I had to have it." A chill ran down Chloe's back as she watched Hannah stare at her bracelet with a darkness in her eyes. Hannah quickly adjusted her mood and became overjoyed, kissing her husband on the cheek.

It may have been the drinks that brought out their darker side, but Chloe was beginning to grow uneasy in their presence and looked to Lucifer for an exit strategy. Lucifer was too preoccupied to recognize Chloe's glare as he listened uncomfortably to the pianist. The piano played the soft keys of "The Nearness of You," and Lucifer could see the few guests at the bar completely ignoring the music. "He should be playing something a little more uplifting than this. He's practically putting people to sleep." The pianist's slow finish irritated Lucifer. "I'm sorry, I can't take this any longer. He is doing an injustice to the ambiance."

Byron and Hannah perked up as they watched Lucifer walk over to the piano. "Is he about to…"

Chloe leaned her arm against the back of the booth, watching Lucifer stop the pianist, almost giving him a scolding. "Yep."

"Does he do this often?"

Lucifer pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and paid the man off the bench for the night. Chloe looked back at the couple and caught Byron's piqued interest in the money being tucked away into Lucifer's pocket. Taking his place at the piano, Lucifer stretched his fingers straight out from his chest.

Chloe smiled softly, watching Lucifer play out a few chords as she responded, "You'd be surprised." Some of the guests at the bar began to sway to the upbeat song as Lucifer pounded away at the keys playing Ray Charles' "I've Got a Woman."

Byron released a long yawn and checked his watch. "I didn't realize how late it was getting. Babe, we should get going soon." Hannah pouted at her husband, and Chloe couldn't help but feel relieved at their exit. "Pout all you want, but you're the one who wanted to sign-up for sunrise yoga."

She leaned her head back against the booth and looked over to Chloe. "Jane, do you two have big plans tomorrow?"

Chloe remembered her review of the cases and knew all of their big heists happened in the afternoon when their targets were out for the day. "Oh, I think Lucifer has a spa day planned all afternoon."

"Well, from one bride to another, I can tell you it was the biggest mistake bringing my ring in with me. The masseuse removed my jewelry during my shiatsu massage and practically lost it. I now keep all my stuff hidden away in my room. It's been a lifesaver for a spa junkie like me."

Chloe tried her best to act impressed by the tip. "I didn't even think of that. I'm still getting used to this thing, I guess." Hannah tore her cocktail napkin in half and pulled a pen from her clutch and wrote the number 2534 down on one half and handed the pen to Chloe.

"Here's our room number. Give us a call tomorrow when you're out of your relaxation, and maybe we can grab some drinks on the patio?" There was an underlying pressure to return the favor, and Chloe understood the small traps each victim innocently fell for. Chloe wrote down their suite number and returned the napkin to Hannah and watched her tuck it away in her purse. Byron stood to give the signal he was ready to call it a night, and Hannah followed suit. "Call us!"

The couple made their way to the elevators hand in hand as Chloe made her way to Lucifer at the piano. She passed the bar giving a subtle nod to Dan and sat alongside her partner, watching his fingers dance up and down the keyboard. "Please tell me they're gone."

Chloe released a tired laugh, relieved he was as annoyed with them as she was. "We did good tonight. I'm very optimistic that we will be robbed tomorrow. I look forward to it, actually." Lucifer smiled brightly, listening to Chloe.

Dan had a laptop set up underneath the bar with different room surveillance. He continued to sneak a peek down every once in a while. Now that the couple knew Chloe and Lucifer were staying in the lobby longer, they may have used it for their advantage, but there was no luck. Dan listened in from his earpiece that the Reeves had successfully entered their room, and no further action had been noted. He raised his head to give a signal that the coast was clear, but something stopped him. Lucifer was playing a jazzier version of "The Way You Look Tonight," and Dan could tell he was singing along low for his single audience. Chloe had her hands wrapped around his arm, and her chin rested on his shoulder. Her eyes were heavy with admiration, and her lips curved up at the ends in a small smile as she watched his lips move to the lyrics. Their act was done for the night, but they continued.

Dan had known Chloe in love with him years ago. He had known Chloe when she was engaged to Pierce. In both of those times, he never saw the way she looked now. The look on her face had always been reserved for one man. Dan swallowed hard as he finally opened his eyes, and at that moment, he knew.

* * *

It was relaxing to sit and review each case on the patio's daybed with the comforting sounds of the ocean's waves and the crackling outdoor gas fireplace. Chloe couldn't help but focus on each photo of the last victims waiting for a new clue to magically pop out from nowhere, finally placing the Bryant's in handcuffs. It made her even sicker to know the Bryants continued to parade the victim's names, which they could spin to be a simple coincidence. They could rob the suite tomorrow, and all they could be charged with was theft, leaving the Reeves' family with no closure. Chloe closed the case file and knew she needed to take a break from work as she released a long yawn that made her eyes water.

Lucifer slowly paced up and down the length of the suite on the phone with his brother in the hotel's robe. The pensive look on his face told Chloe it was not a light conversation or one she could interrupt. She dimmed the flames in the fireplace until they were no more and shut the patio doors for the night. Chloe stopped on her side of the bed and subtly looked to the cameras placed in the room for surveillance, and her body filled with an unsettling nervousness. She took the extra pillows from the top shelf of the closet and built a white pillow fence down the middle of the bed. It eased her nerves somewhat, but not all.

Chloe began to creep into her side of the bed when Lucifer walked in, looking uneasy and irritated. He tossed his phone onto the nightstand while he stared confused at the bed. "You can't be serious." Chloe darted her eyes to the cameras in the room to remind Lucifer they were being watched or at least recorded. He released a long, annoyed sigh through his nose as he turned off the light and fell into his side of the bed. The room filled with an uncomfortable silence as both laid wide awake staring at the ceiling's wood paneling. "This is ridiculous." There was an agitation in his voice that Chloe knew carried with him from his phone call. He turned his head to the left to talk to his partner but stopped when he only faced a standing pillow on its side.

Chloe spoke out into the silence, "It's necessary." She gripped the end of bed sheets tighter against her chest. The last time they shared a bed was his first night back when they were practically comatose. Since then, they grew closer, changing the dynamic of their relationship at their own pace. He had a way of pulling her away from her reality, and she knew if he made any moves, her body's wants would win, and being aware that cameras were present made the pillow fence even more than necessary.

She listened to him tirelessly toss and turn on his side of the bed as she just laid on her back with her hands folded across her stomach. His mood changed when they got back to the room, and he saw the missed texts and calls from his brother. It was hard not to overhear parts of the conversation, even with being out on the patio. It was no surprise the main focus was on Michael and the fear that continued to run through their family. She had tried bringing up the topic in the past over their dinners and drives, but Lucifer mastered the art of deflecting. It was now obvious his mood was affecting his sleep for the worse.

"Lucifer?" She listened as his body steadied on his side. "Can you tell me about Michael?"

There was a long pause, and her eyes searched into the darkness, waiting for his voice. "What do you want to know?"

Her voice was soft and small as she spoke, "What did he do to you?" Since he had returned, she noticed the little references to Michael's power over Lucifer, but no one spoke more about the past, leaving her with so many questions. She turned onto her right side as he rolled onto his left to face the same pillow separating them. By the way he spoke low and slow, she could tell he was still trying to remember the pieces of his past- the parts he wished he could forget.

"Back in the Silver City, I always felt like my father was the hardest on me. I could never do anything right, or even when I did follow him, it wasn't good enough. You can only be told so many times that you're wrong. You start to believe you were made wrong. So, it was no surprise that I started making my own decisions, living the life I wanted, and the one person who admired that the most was my brother, Michael. He lived vicariously through me, knowing he could never break father's command. I tried to show him how easy it was and how freeing it could be, but he never broke. And that's when he started whispering in my ear everything he wished he could do, so I did it for him. Each time, his desires grew darker than the ones before, and I could see how angry my father would get, so I kept taking it to the next level. And then the rebellion began. I thought I had my brother on my side through it all, but what I didn't see at the time, the thing I was so blind to- every time Michael would feed me ideas, he would turn his back and tell father my plan to ensure my defeat. I had no way of winning, but I went down fighting anyway. Judgement Day came and went. I was to be banished from my home, never to return, and set up shop as the new king of Hell, where I was to live with the sinners and punish evil for an eternity."

There was a small pause on his end as he cleared his throat, remembering his last moments at the pearly gates. "There's a, um, a type of portal on the edges of the city where only celestials can come and go through. I had to wait there for my final exit from my father. A part of me hoped at least some of my siblings would come to say goodbye, but nobody came. I don't blame them. And then came down Michael. He told me father had sent him to do his bidding, which didn't surprise me at all. All he had to do was snap his fingers, and I would have been teleported to where I needed to be, but Michael had different plans. Turns out, when I was growing tired of my father breathing down my neck, wanting me to be better, Michael was turning green with envy realizing he wasn't getting enough attention from my dear old dad. And where he saw smoke, he started a whole damned apocalypse. He manipulated me the entire time, pushing me to take the darker path, all the while looking innocent on the sidelines. I know I was the one who chose to follow his ideas through but looking back, I was just his puppet. He used the love I thought I had from him against me. He tells me this, and everything's he's done to destroy me, of course, while beating me to a bloody pulp, knowing I was weak from battle. He broke my wings and dragged me to the portal, telling me that I was to be a 'true fallen angel.' He threw me out, and by the rate I was falling, I was a bloody racing comet."

Lucifer chewed down on his tongue, remembering the fall. It wasn't something that could just be erased. It never would be. She listened as his voice grew even deeper and darker. "You can never forget the smell of your own burning flesh. He ensured that I looked the way I do. I've had eons to deal with it, and I still can't bear to look at myself sometimes. He knows he won because of it. He was my brother, and he hated me over something I never had control over. There was just so much hate in his eyes, and that is how I always remember him."

She had no words, just a pillow growing wet from her slow-moving tears. She had seen so many sides to him through the years, but the tone in his voice stung her a little deeper. Chloe knew she wasn't there during this and didn't know Lucifer's actions in full context, but she pictured him standing alone and defeated knowing his family gave up on him. He was still that lost boy, but he masked it well. She now almost appreciated his immature humor and the annoying high he got off of humanity. He was still able to find joy in the small things with a dark past like his. Chloe broke through the break in the pillowed fence and held his hand. That's all she could do.

* * *

The smell of coffee woke her senses as Chloe opened her eyes at the faint sounds of a metal fork against a glass plate. She lifted the pillow next to her head and found the other side of the bed empty. Chloe propped herself up onto her shoulders, adjusting her eyes to the daylight shining into the suite. Kicking the sheets off of her body, she dragged her feet across the room to Lucifer, who sat bundled up in his robe, drinking his morning coffee. "Good Morning, Detective!" His bright smile and loud tone of voice threw her off as she remembered him being a different version of himself the night before. By the look of his tired, bloodshot eyes, she could tell their journey into his past left him lying in the dark wide awake for the remainder of the night. His chipper mood this morning told her he was trying to move past it.

The long dining table was equipped with different croissants, danishes, and cinnamon bread. In the middle sat a large platter of watermelon, honeydew, pineapple, and mixed berries. There were several different types of jams and honey next to a bowl of greek yogurt. Two copper carafes were labeled Coffee and Hot Water with a box of assorted teas. "Lucifer, what is this? I thought we said no more surprises."

"And I stand by that." Lucifer lifted a white envelope for Chloe to take. A small note inside read, " _We thought it was the least we could do after drinks last night! We hope to see you again soon. Happy Honeymooning, The Reeves._ "

Chloe felt uncomfortable accepting this gift from criminals, but Lucifer evidently did not feel the same as his plate was stacked with a little bit of everything. "They're wooing us."

Lucifer stood up, guiding Chloe into the chair beside him as she stared in disgusted shock at the continental breakfast in front of her. "Oh, what's the harm?" He poured a fresh cup of coffee and slid it in front of his partner, hoping the sweet-smelling steam would change her mind.

"The harm? It's like when people feed a pig a big last meal before killing it for the luau. Lucifer, we're the pig."

His jaw moved in large circles as he chewed down on the thick piece of watermelon. "I think you're reading too much into it."

Chloe brought the mug up to her lips and let the steam calm her down. Her brow furrowed, seeing some of the case files open next to Lucifer. "Were you actually reading the files?"

He shined a proud closed-lipped smile whipping away some of the fruit's juices from the corner of his mouth. Lucifer lifted a photo from the Reeves' murder case file. "I solved it."

Chloe shot him a very skeptical look, taking the images from him. Her eyes scanned the gorey crime scene photos searching for anything new. "Lucifer, I've looked at these a million times."

He switched the order of the pictures and placed a large photo of Hannah and Byron at a park for their engagement photos first. "Is there a certain piece of jewelry that stands out?" Chloe scanned the photo acknowledging her small gold stud earrings, a dainty cross across her chest, and a focus on her engagement ring. Hannah's right arm was wrapped into Byron's and out of focus, but as Chloe leaned in closer, she saw the gold bracelet that resembled a panther. Lucifer handed over the recorded photos from her social media that were documented on the day of their passing. One of the last photos taken was of the couple relaxing by the pool with tropical drinks, and Hannah sipped her pina colada in her right hand, highlighting her gold panther bracelet.

"How did I miss that? I looked over this so many times last night."

Lucifer dipped a piece of his pineapple into his yogurt before speaking. "I'm just a much better detective than you." He teasingly smirked, popping the piece of fruit into his mouth as Chloe swatted at his arm with the photos in her hand. She looked back down at the images concentrating on the bracelet relieved.

"Okay. Now, all we have to do is get them on camera, and the rest is on Wilcox to take it home."

* * *

Officers Lecar and Jung set up quite the operation in their hotel room. Two long pop-up tables were covered with different monitors and systems running. Some of the monitors were networked to the station's database, and the rest monitored different surveillance within the hotel, and the suite Chloe and Lucifer resided in.

The two officers took their position in the emergency stairwells with teams on standby, and Lucifer happily volunteered himself to be down in the spa to confirm the undercover location in case the Reeves came to confirm the room was open. Chloe wondered what treatments he was indulging himself with as she held herself up in the hotel room with Dan watching the monitors for any sign of criminal activity. Dan read the files and studied the photo catching up to speed on the latest findings. Chloe filled him in on the conversations over dinner and how she saw the subtle traps they placed on her.

Dan snapped the file closed and rocked back in his chair. "Well, it will be even more satisfying to catch them now. Do you think they got the hint that you two were undercover?"

Chloe thought hard on all of her interactions, and if either she or Lucifer slipped, but they were in the clear. "I don't know. I think they bought it, or at least I think we pulled off the newlywed act. I don't think they would want to stay in touch if they thought otherwise."

Dan watched Chloe's thumb play against her bare left ring finger as if it were getting used to the silver band that now resided in the room's nightstand for the taking. The monitors switched to different surveillance camera views, and Chloe sulked in her chair, growing bored over the empty room. Dan watched Chloe from the corner of his eye and wondered how he wanted to approach the topic of her and Lucifer and his looming suspicion.

"You know, when I heard Lucifer changed all of the reservations, I was not looking forward to working with the guy again. He always finds a way to make it about himself. But, I will say I'm impressed with him so far. I'm surprised he hasn't called you Detective by accident."

She smiled faintly, watching two guests walk back to their room on the second floor through the monitors. "I don't think you give him enough credit. He's done so much to help us, and I feel like you forget that sometimes. I know he doesn't have the most conventional ways of doing business, but I don't where I'd be today without him."

"No, you're right. He just makes it so difficult." Chloe's small smile grew tighter, knowing exactly how difficult it could be, but she wouldn't trade him in for anything. Dan looked over to Chloe to gauge her reaction to his next comment. "You guys do make a great team. From where I was standing last night, you two almost made me believe you were together. You guys looked very… comfortable." Chloe's smile disappeared, and her face was stonelike as she looked down into her lap. "I mean, even after they left, you guys did a great job keeping the act up. I know it's only been over a day, but I can imagine you can't wait to get a breather away from the guy."

She stayed silent as she sucked in her lips to think of her next words carefully. Chloe had been scared to officially tell people about her new relationship, especially people at work. Dan was specifically someone she was worried to tell, knowing his relationship with Lucifer. She wasn't concerned about how he would look at her, that was never an issue, but she was more concerned that the hate he felt for Lucifer would grow out of place that only Dan could fix within himself. Chloe didn't want either of them to carry that weight. Dan waited in silence for her to respond. He knew the longer he waited, the more his theory was right. A slow sigh released through his lips as he looked down. "It's not an act, is it?"

Chloe knew she could easily lie or brush it off, creating tension between them because they both would know it's true. There was no more hiding it from him. "No, it's not. Dan, we're together."

He thought the truth would affect him differently- he'd be angry or hurt, but ultimately he felt a small twinge of happiness for her. She looked to him, waiting for him to burst out in red, telling her how stupid she was or even hunting Lucifer down for a punch to the face, but he just sat collecting his thoughts. "It's about time, I guess."

Chloe widened her eyes in surprise, watching Dan shrug off the thing she had been so scared of sharing. "I'm sorry, what?"

"It was bound to happen at some point. Did you forget I was there when you guys started your little partnership? I saw it before you even did. I'm surprised it even took it this long."

Chloe's wide eyes didn't fail as she watched Dan looking calm and almost happy. "So, you're not angry?"

Dan laughed, turning his chair toward her, and she was still stunned by the smile on his face. "Listen, what I have against the guy, that's on me. I know you two have a very different relationship." He bobbed his side to side as his eyes looked up, remembering some past moments. "And from what I remember, the guy has shown how much he cares about you on more than one occasion. Trixie loves him, which I still don't get." He threw his hands up defensively before Chloe could judge him for the comment. "Most importantly, you're happy with him. You are happy, right?"

Her cheeks felt tight as her smile grew wider. "Very." He almost looked relieved, watching the smile grow on her face.

"Well, then that's all that matters." He turned back to look at the monitors, and Chloe felt an enormous weight lift off of her chest. Suddenly, Dan whipped back to her with a finger in the air. "But if he ever, and I mean ever, hurts you, I will end him. I can make it look like an accident, and knowing some of the sketchy clientele he does business with at Lux; I have a feeling it would be easy for me to get away with it."

Chloe took note to be far away from Lucifer if that day ever came.

* * *

Dan called off the teams in the stairwell, and he made his way back down to the main floor as Chloe headed back to the room. Lucifer's last treatment in the spa ended, and the Reeves' ended up being a no show during their largest window of opportunity. As Chloe turned the corner, she saw Lucifer reaching the door with his key in hand, and she picked up her pace. Only for a few more minutes was she able to be Chloe before entering the room packed with cameras. He sensed her heavy footsteps approaching and smiled a lazy, relaxed smile. "Honey, you're home."

She stopped his hand on the door handle and raised to her toes to meet her lips to his. Chloe's mouth hovered a few inches away, waiting for him to complete the gap between them. "Detective, you're being very unprofessional right now." She smiled brightly back up at him, shining her teeth. "Change of guard. We have about five, ten more minutes to be us." He didn't question his open opportunity and cupped her face, closing their lips together softly. She relaxed into his arm breathing his new scent of cucumber and eucalyptus. Having studied the monitors all afternoon, she knew the surveillance didn't cover their hallway corner completely, and this relaxed her more.

"There you two are!" Chloe and Lucifer broke their kiss and looked in the direction of the unwelcomed voice with lips still puckered. Hannah and Byron swung their entwined hands in playful swings as they approached with a beach bag in tow. Their bright tropical colored pool attire was almost blinding, and their skin radiated the smell of tanning oil. "How was your spa day? We just came by to check-in on you two and see if drinks were still on the table?" Lucifer updated her on their spa treatments and evening plans as Chloe's attention was brought to Byron. He looked very hesitant and uncomfortable to be there as his eyes refused to meet theirs. She felt a hard nudge into her side from Lucifer, and she came back to realizing Hannah was asking her a question. "Jane? Do you mind?"

"I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Hannah squeezed her knees tighter together, swaying her hips side to side. "Can I use your bathroom real quick?"

It was a simple question that seemed innocent enough, but something small was signaling off within Chloe that she was walking into a trap. If what she was feeling was true, then they had to be in front of the cameras. "Of course!"

"Oh, my God! This place is gorgeous." Hannah's voice echoed out into the suite as the main door closed behind them. Chloe tried to position herself near the hidden cameras placing focus on the couple in their room. Lucifer took his place behind Chloe and pointed back to the bedroom.

"The restroom is back there. Help yourself." Byron stopped at the patio doors looking out onto the ocean, not saying a word, which made Chloe even more on edge. She turned around to signal anything to Lucifer with her eyes, but it was too late. The sound of a cocked gun from behind her and Lucifer raising his arms defensively confirmed this was precisely a trap.

"Turn around. Slowly." Chloe, too raised her arms low and her hands high defensively. "Search them, Babe." Byron patted down Lucifer and then Chloe for any weapons. Lucifer's wallet was taken from his blazer's chest pocket, and extra cash was taken from his pant pocket. Chloe lifted her arms out as directed, and Byron felt the holster that was attached under her arm and hidden by her long cardigan.

His voice was quiet as he spoke, "Jane, I'm sorry." He took off her cardigan, and she watched her gun be taken out of its holster and given to Hannah, who held her own pistol with a fierce single, steady arm.

"Who brings a gun on a honeymoon?"

Lucifer waved his hand to draw some attention to him. "I think you pointing a gun at us kind of answers the question."

"Shut up." Hannah jerked her gun to the side to imply that Lucifer should separate himself from his bride, and he followed the gun barrel away from the dining table and toward the sectional. "Tie her up." Hannah followed Lucifer's sidestep to the couch as Byron sifted through the beach bag to pull out handcuffs. He sat Chloe down into one of the dining chairs and confined her hands within the metal cuffs.

Hannah's gun aimed at Lucifer's chest as she looked in Chloe's direction. "Where's the ring." Lucifer seemed unphased by the arm pointed at him as he sidestepped once more. He was well aware of where the cameras were, and the one closest to him now had Hannah as the leading star.

Chloe watched Byron stand guard over her and scanned his body for any weapon as she spoke out. "It's in the nightstand."

Byron took a quick walk across the suite and collected the ring and a watch from Lucifer's side. He placed them into the beach bag along with the cash. Lucifer knew those were the only real valuables they had and secretly had hoped the change of guard was complete by now. "You have everything we have now. We don't have anything else to give." His eyes darted over to Chloe to see how she was holding up being stuck, tied up in a chair, but her eyes were growing concerned over the gun pointed at her partner.

"Please, we won't tell anyone you were here. We promise. You can leave with everything."

Hannah's stern, intimidating look took a turn toward sinister when she began placing her free hand on the gun pointed toward Lucifer. Her finger was just shy from pulling the trigger when Chloe yelled across the room. "Stop. You don't need to do this! You can just walk away. You have the ring. Take it. It's yours."

Hannah dropped her gun and walked toward Chloe, kneeling to be eye level with her. Byron took her place at the couch and watched over Lucifer. "I'm afraid I can't do that. See, I don't trust that you'll keep your mouth shut. So, maybe I need to keep it shut for you." She teased the barrel of the gun under Chloe's chin, and Byron threw his hands up, ready to tackle Lucifer, who flinched to make a move.

Chloe rolled her eyes at Hannah's poor planning. "So, what? You're just going to shoot us point blank and then run?"

Hannah tucked her gun away into the side of her bag and took a handkerchief to pick up Chloe's gun out from its holster. "Oh, I won't shoot you. You'll shoot yourself." Lucifer impatiently shook his leg wondering what was holding up the team on standby.

"It's a tragic story, really. You married the love of your life and soon found out he wasn't the man you thought you married. He was controlling, abusive. He beat you until you couldn't breathe. It was self-defense in the end, but as you stared down at his dead body, you couldn't handle the pain of losing the man you loved. Killing yourself was the only way to be free."

Chloe squirmed in her chair, trying to free her hands from the handcuffs, but it was no use. This woman was crazier and more impulsive than Chloe thought, and she was growing impatient over her back up. "Did you rehearse that a lot, because it was a great story." Chloe looked over to Lucifer and knew he was just out of the camera's views, and if he was angry enough, he could break them all without his true self being noticed. It was a stretch, but Chloe was willing to risk it. "Just one thing wrong with your story. How can it be self-defense when I have no bruises? He would never do that to me."

"What about your black eye?" Hannah tore down the butt end of the gun into Chloe's left eye, and she grunted out something low and painful.

Chloe took a deep breath ignoring the pain and shined a thin smile back up to the woman holding the gun. "You're going to regret doing that."

Haris' body was thrown across the suite, and his back slammed into the wall before falling to the floor. The shock to his body left him unconscious, and a small camera from above crashed down. Hannah did a quick 180 dropping the gun as Lucifer threw the coffee table aside, breaking the second camera with it. He was full of red, and fury trucking his way across the room. "You should have taken our offer when you had the chance, Sara." Her eyes were pooling with tears at the unsettling and terrifying sight of the man that came toward her. "You finally get a taste of blood, and you're hooked, is that it? Trust me when I say there is a special place in hell for you." She was completely frozen and shook to her core as his hand wrapped around her throat. Lucifer picked her up by a single hand and threw her onto the dining table. The third camera, which hid in the centerpiece, shattered along with Sara's ribcage. She was paralyzed in pain and fear. Lucifer waited for her to fight back, but she did not move. He looked over his shoulder at the man asleep on the floor and knew it was over.

Chloe felt a sharp tug on her wrists as Lucifer broke the handcuffs that bound her to the chair. She attempted to get up, but Lucifer swung around, stopping her. "Hey, hey, hey. Slow down. Let me get a look at you." Chloe already had some dark bruising below her eye from the broken blood vessels, and Lucifer raised his hand to touch her face, but he stopped himself. He was still showing the side of himself that he saw as monstrous. He looked at the hand that hovered a few inches away from her face, and he didn't want the exposed muscle, tissue, and burnt flesh to touch her delicate skin. Before he could retract his hand, Chloe took her hand to the outside of his, guiding it to cup her face.

She leaned her head into the warmth of his hand on her cheek and stared at the one thing that remained familiar- his eyes. "It's okay, Lucifer. I'm okay."

Heavy, racing footsteps ran down the hallway, and they heard their door being unlocked. Lucifer closed his eyes, transforming back into a version of himself with fresh, smooth skin. As the LAPD task force burst into the suite, many of the officers retracted their guns to their sides in shock of the scene before them. There was a significant dent in the wall with a collapsed body below, thrown furniture, and a woman crying in pain on a cracked dining table. Lucifer stood up, throwing his arms in the air. "Welcome to the party, finally."

* * *

Lucifer leaned over the suite's balcony watching the horizon as Chloe paced behind him on the phone with her Lieutenant. There were many "Yes, Ma'ams," and "No, Ma'ams," and, "He said he'll pay for the damages, Ma'am." The suite was not completely destroyed, but it wasn't something the cleaning service could fix. The tech crew had come in and removed the two existing cameras left in the suite. Although the main cameras were destroyed, the surveillance hotel room recorded enough of the hostage situation to take down the Bryants.

Chloe slid her phone into her pocket and joined Lucifer to overlook the ocean. "How was that?"

She took a long sigh and folded her hands into one another. "She kept saying 'you completed the case' so I think in her own way, that was her saying good job?"

"And how are you feeling?" He looked down, concerned at the bruising that continued to darken around her left eye.

"I'm fine. I've had worse." Lucifer wrapped one arm around her, pulling her into his side. He lightly kissed the temple above her bruised eye, trying to be as gentle as he could. She looked down at her bare left hand. "Wilcox said you could have your ring back once they're done processing everything. I'm assuming you're going to want to return that."

Lucifer batted away the idea with his free hand. "Eh, they can have it if they want."

Chloe jerked her head up, looking at her partner as if he were insane. She knew how he could be careless with his money, but this was ridiculous. "Lucifer, that ring must have been the cost of my mom's house. You're taking it back."

"Fifty bucks."

Chloe's face slowly relaxed into a shocked look as her eyes searched his. "Fifty?"

Lucifer had an amused smile on his lips, watching Chloe think of all the things he may have done to pay that low of a price. "I bought it at a costume shop. Did you seriously think I would spend that much money on a plaything? It was believable, though." Chloe cupped her hands around her face, embarrassed for not realizing it before. She couldn't help but release a small laugh at the idea of the Bryants thinking they struck gold only to find a cheap knockoff. "And that is the last surprise from this case, I promise."

Chloe stepped out of Lucifer's side hold and turned to face her partner. "I may have one more surprise on my end." He prepared himself for the news by the severe tone of her voice. "I told Dan." She was expecting a witty or snarky response about not being able to see his reaction, but Lucifer's face softened into a peaceful smile. Sharing their news was a sensitive topic for her, and it was a wall he had yet to break down, but ultimately he knew this was a step in the right direction for her.

"And do I need to be concerned?"

She slowly shook her head, smiling faintly as she remembered her conversation with Dan. "No. He was happy for us."

Lucifer tensed his shoulders a bit at the thought. "Bastard." He was happy that Chloe was comfortable enough to tell him, but secretly wanted a more annoyed reaction on Dan's end. Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets and saw how relieved she looked from that encounter and hoped it would continue. "So, does that mean you're now open to telling people about us?"

She leaned against the balcony, sucking in on her bottom lip, trying to think of how to place what she was feeling into words. "What I'm about to say- it's going to sound stupid." He leaned forward on his toes, trying to hide his excitement as he watched Chloe bring down one of her walls on her own.

"Nothing you say is stupid."

She stared aimlessly down the shoreline as she spoke slowly, trying to piece the words together, trying to make sense of it herself. "We don't know why I was blessed. We don't know about Michael. We don't know the next time you might have to return to hell. There are so many things that we don't know, and I've loved being in our little world away from all of it. Once we tell people, it becomes real, and reality sets in. And now we're going to have the deal with the reality we've been hiding from for the past week. I'm scared where that's going to take us." She paused, looking down at her hands. "And I'm scared that once it becomes real, you're going to realize that the chase is over. That you have all of me. I'm scared that maybe that won't be enough for you. I know what it feels like to lose you, and I don't want to go through that again."

"You're right. That is stupid." Chloe rolled her eyes as he made fun of the insecurities that weighed heavily on her shoulders. "Of course we don't know what's going to happen. What fun would life be if we did know everything? My world isn't pretty, but neither is the world here. Whatever happens, it's not going to change anything between us. We've made it this far. And I know we did not have the easiest start to our relationship, but trust me when I say that I'm glad that the 'chase' is over and past us. All I wanted was to let you in and tell you the truth. I just wanted to be with you, with no secrets. I don't plan on going anywhere if that's what you're worried about. I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Detective."

He lifted his hand to place a strand of her loose hair behind her ear and cup her swollen cheek. "You promise?"

"I'm willing to make a deal on it."


	7. Aston Martin

There was no such thing as downtime for Ella and her lab in the precinct. If there was not an active homicide in progress, she was assisting the special crimes unit or the drug task force in their cases. Officers were continually coming and going from her lab- some thankful and appreciative and others stone-cold, but her smile never wavered. No matter the work that was given to her, she always found a positive spin to make the mundane task better.

"And I'll miss you most of all, Mr. Pointy." The switchblade in her hand was secured in a clear evidence bag and covered in rustic red bloodstains. Ella gently placed the murder weapon away into the cardboard box and secured the lid on top, giving the box a final pat goodbye.

Lucifer sat across from her impatiently, scrolling through his phone, and his eyes drew up to meet her sad farewell to the closed case. "Do you have a name for each piece of evidence?"

"Only the ones I've, you know, felt a connection with." Lucifer cocked an eyebrow watching Ella crumple up her latex gloves as she smiled, ignoring the judgment in his eyes. She raised to her toes to get a better look at the precinct beyond Lucifer's head, and she watched a certain detective come down from the stairs with a folder tight to her chest. The blinds that wrapped around the lab shook against the glass windows once Chloe closed the door behind her.

"Hey, Ella. I got your text. What's up?"

The anticipation that was building up within Ella soon deflated at the sight of the manila folder in Chloe's arms. "Please, don't tell me we have another case."

Chloe double looked down to the papers in her arms and realized she was squeezing them against her chest too tightly. She slowly placed the file down onto the metal counter and slid the papers in front of Lucifer. "No, just some things for Lucifer to sign."

Ella straightened her shirt with a sigh of relief. The cartoon astronaut riding a unicorn across her chest stretched long as Ella pulled down harder on her shirt, and her nerves set back in.

Lucifer quickly flipped through the case file that distracted his attention away from the mint green paper discreetly placed at the bottom. Chloe had already marked X's next to the lines he had to print and sign his name. "What is this?"

Chloe nervously waved her hand in the air as she slid a pen into his hand. "Oh, typical procedural stuff. You helped solve the case; you saw me discharge my gun- just sign right at the bottom. You don't need to read the whole thing." Lucifer furrowed his brows as he pulled the green paper out, and his eyes scanned the bullets above the signature line.

He jutted his chin out in curiosity as he began to read the document out loud. "Our personal relationship is voluntary and consensual. We will act professionally within the workplace without public displays of affection." Ella lit up as she leaned against her table, grabbing the paper from Lucifer's hand to scan the document herself. Chloe scrunched her nose, frustrated that this matter was growing bigger than it needed to be while Ella cleared her throat to read aloud.

"We have reviewed the Los Angeles Police Department's sexual harassment policy, and we acknowledge our consensual relationship will not violate policy. Ha. Isn't Lucifer the reason we had that mandatory training?" Chloe reached across the table and snapped the green paper from Ella as her two colleagues chuckled at the irony.

A single strand of Chloe's fringe fell in front of her face, and she frustratingly blew it off to the side. "Okay, you know what? Nevermind. I was just trying to follow protocol, but I should have known better. You were never going to take this seriously. I should have just forged your sig-"

"I'll sign it." His words stopped Ella's snickering, and Chloe perked up, confused, fixing the stray hair behind her ear.

"Really?" She skeptically handed the paper over to the calm and collected man that sat before her. He quickly scribbled his signature across the paper as both women narrowed their eyes on him.

Ella leaned forward onto the table, analyzing his face while Chloe checked over his shoulder to see that he signed his name instead of a joke of a moniker, which he was known for doing in the past. "Since when do you follow the rules?" Lucifer's lips grew into a cocky smile at the sound of Ella's question.

"As much as I don't want to sign my soul away to Carla in HR, this is important to her." Lucifer gave a slight nod in Chloe's direction. "So, it's important to me." Ella stood awkwardly, waiting for Lucifer to scratch out a few lines to put in his own bylaws, but he didn't. Lucifer flicked the pen in Ella's direction, and she bobbed her head to the right to avoid an eye poke. "I've recently found maturity, Miss Lopez."

Ella pursed her lips, looking up to the ceiling, trying to make sense of his new profound epiphany. "That's not something you just find."

He buttoned his suit jacket, shining his smile brighter. "How can that be if I've found it? I'm mature now." Ella opened her mouth to speak but stopped. He looked so proud of himself, and she couldn't build herself up to rain on his parade. She looked over to Chloe, who watched Lucifer as if he were a riddle that couldn't be solved.

Chloe folded her arms tighter against her chest, and the lightbulb finally lit above her as she gave small all-knowing nods. "I get what's happening here. You're on this self-righteous high because you started therapy again." Ella joined in Chloe's nods as she put the pieces together.

"Yes, the doctor and I may be meeting again, and she may have alluded to the fact that I have grown somewhat since our first sessions. Or to put in her words- matured." He began to fidget as he watched the women before him skeptically nod, waiting for him to make an inappropriate comment or gesture. "I'll prove it. I will hand these papers in myself. It wouldn't hurt to check-in with Carla and see how those miscreants are doing."

"You mean her twins?"

Lucifer placed the green paper into the case file and snapped it closed with one hand. "Isn't that what I said?" There was an eagerness to his bright smile that made Chloe squint her eyes thinner, trying to figure out what his alternative motive was behind this. He wouldn't give in this easily. His lips lightly pecked her high cheekbone before he spun on his heels out the door.

Ella slowly pouted her lower lip, watching Lucifer strut out of site through the blinds in her lab's windows. "Hm. Maybe he really has changed."

Chloe lifted one hand to her hip, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why do I have the feeling our next case will be all about him relating everything to how mature he is. Wait, why am I complaining? Maybe he'll actually do the work." Chloe released a deep sigh before refocusing her attention on Ella. "I'm sorry. You had something to ask me, and it got out of hand. I'm here. I'm listening."

Ella excitedly clenched her hands tightly into fists as her smile grew full and tense. "As you know, I've been seeing this guy, and things have been going well. I- I want you to meet him. Well, you and Lucifer. If a case doesn't pop up today, I was hoping to have dinner tonight?"

Chloe naturally folded her arms beneath her chest, watching the nerves in Ella shake off her skin. "This is getting serious, huh?" Ella nodded her head with such excitement and eagerness. Chloe thought it was going to pop off of her neck. "We'll be there."

Ella clapped her hands into prayer as she breathed out a long sigh of relief. "Really? Okay, good. This is happening. Oh, and can you tell Lucifer not to do the whole desire bit? I don't want to scare him away." Faint sounds of whistles and claps from the central precinct floor pulled their attention to the lab windows. The desks were empty, and a few officers were watching something entertaining just out of their view.

"Yeah, I can tell him not to-" As the cheers increased, both ladies leaned their bodies over to the left to see the commotion.

Ella and Chloe left the lab and stopped at the blockade of officers' backs circling the base of the staircase. A female officer broke through the crowd trying to slow her laughter as she made eye contact with Chloe, and she gave a firm pat to Chloe's arm in passing. "Good for you, Decker." Before Chloe could get a word out, the officer turned the corner. Chloe whipped her head to the staircase as Lucifer took two steps higher to grab everyone's attention.

"No one had March 16th? I guess we go with the closest to date. Do we have the chart?" An officer lifted a white presentation board broken down into a grid with multi-color markings in each cube. She tried making out the writings on the board, but it was no use with the sea of heads before her.

"Aw, man. I totally forgot about this." Ella pulled out her wallet from her back pocket and pulled out a few papers of cash. Chloe didn't remember the March Madness office bids being this popular the year before.

"Ella, what's going on?"

Ella's lips opened to a large O as her eyes darted between the board and Chloe. "Oh, you know, just some light office betting."

Chloe noticed some of the officers looking back over their shoulders at her. Lucifer was facilitating the trading of cash in the front, and stray bills waved above the heads around the stairs. "What are they betting on exactly?"

Ella's shoulders sank, knowing Chloe wasn't going to take the news well. "You and Lucifer. It started as a joke, really, and then it kind of grew. Office comradery!" Ella pumped her fist into the air, trying to make Chloe find some humor in this situation, but by the look on her face, she did not think it was funny.

"How long has this been going on?" Chloe's eyes drew to some of the bills in Ella's fist and took her wrist by the hand. "Ella!"

"I'm sorry, Chloe. You know I can't resist a good gamble. I thought I was going to get the pot too." Ella's guilty conscience took over after seeing the hurt in Chloe's eyes. "It started about two years ago. Everyone was betting on when you guys were going to hook up, but then it changed to get together, but that was taking forever, so we had some small bets on the side too- if you were going to follow through on the wedding to Pierce. If Lucifer's 'last case' was really his last case. How long Eve was going to stick around- a lot of people lost money on that one. It kind of stopped when he left, but, well, you know." Ella pointed to the crowd in front of them.

Chloe didn't know what to say at that moment. She looked over the crowd and saw how excited everyone was to make a joke of her relationship, and in the middle of it was Lucifer holding the mint green paper in one hand. Chloe put a lot of thought and hesitation into going to HR about their relationship, but she did it anyway because she knew it was the right thing to do. She knew the nerves she felt giving it to Lucifer, and now it was the one piece of evidence used to fuel the debauchery in front of her. She released Ella's arm and walked away to her desk to collect her paperwork and her laptop, heading into one of the conference rooms for privacy.

Ella pushed her way through the crowd, dropping her outstanding bills into the coffee carafe that sat at the base of the stairs to collect money. She frantically and yet subtly waved her hands to grab Lucifer's attention. With a few slice motions to her throat, Lucifer got the hint to stop what he was doing and search the precinct floor for his partner. He found her typing away into her laptop while glancing over a case file through the glass conference windows. Lucifer excused himself away from the crowd and maneuvered through the zigzagged desk arrangement.

Chloe didn't bother to look up as he lightly closed the door behind him. "Detective!" He knew he was in trouble, but he continued to pretend that the look on her face was not meant for him. "What can I help with?" He eyed the stack of cases that still needed to be completed on the paperwork front, hoping that was the way into her good graces, but the only noise that came from her were her fingers typing aggressively against the keys on her laptop. "Detective, what's wrong?"

Chloe clapped her hands tightly together on the conference table. She pressed her hands hard against her chest as she dramatically looked up, trying to collect her thoughts. "What's wrong? Hmm. Maybe it's the fact that bets are going around about me; about our relationship. Or maybe it's the fact that the paper in your hand was supposed to be for HR's eyes and not the entire precinct."

Lucifer let the green paper slide onto the table, and he held his hands up defensively. "You're mad, but I can explain."

She leaned back into the conference chair, unable to control the hot sensation working its way around her eyes. "I'm not mad. I'm hurt. You really hurt me, Lucifer. I can't believe you would start something like this- about us."

"I didn't start it. Jeffries started it, and it spread like the bloody plague through this place. I didn't know about it until two weeks ago."

Her eyes wandered down to the wad of rolled-up cash being held together by rubber bands in his hand. She motioned her head in the direction of his hand while squeezing her fingers tighter together, trying to suppress the emotions working their way through her body. "And were those two weeks enough to get your earnings in? Were you manipulating our relationship to win a bet?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes at his own stupidity for forgetting the cash in his hands. He tossed the ball of green onto the middle of the table and gripped the chair in front of him. "I never placed a bet on us. I wouldn't do that to you. When I found out what was happening, I made a deal with Jeffries to give me 10% of the pot. I figured if we were what everyone was talking about, we might as well make some money out of it."

"So, you knew about this for two weeks? When were you planning on telling me about this? I thought you didn't lie to me."

Lucifer held up his finger, trying to make a case for himself. "To be fair, you never asked me specifically about a bet going around the LAPD."

Chloe folded her arms tightly against her chest shaking her head. "No. Withholding information is lying too, and you know that. What happened to the new and improved mature Lucifer?"

"I was mature in that I shut it down today. The HR paper was the final proof, and the bets are done."

Chloe rolled her eyes at the thought of everyone laughing and cheering at the expense of their relationship. "I just don't understand why you didn't tell me." He released his grip on the chair, trying to make sense of his behavior.

"Because it sounded like fun. Cops were breaking the rules and betting at my expense. Of course, I was going to play along. Since we've been together, I haven't had the opportunity to do that- to do something fun."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at his words, hoping they weren't what she thought they meant. "So, you're saying being with me isn't fun? You're not helping your cause here."

Lucifer closed his eyes and shook his head, not knowing how to get what he was thinking correctly across. "That's not what I meant. What I'm trying to say is- it's getting easier to do the right thing when I'm with you. It's easier for me to be that guy for you. But, I miss being reckless and impulsive sometimes. It's who I always was, and a part of me still wants to be. I know I can't just shut that side of me off overnight."

Chloe leaned forward, reaching her hand across the table to grab his attention away from the floor. "Lucifer, I'm not asking you to change who you are. I know that side of you, and I accepted that it was out of my control a long time ago. It's why we work so well together. What I'm asking is that you just talk to me about this stuff. Do what feels right to you, but don't leave me in the dark- especially when it has to with me and my job and my personal life." She waved her hand out to the office, which was now breaking up away from the stairwell. Chloe leaned back, watching some of her colleagues walk back to their desks, giving subtle looks into the conference room and her current conversation. The couple stayed silent, allowing for the tense energy in the room to float around them a little longer.

Lucifer picked up the cash from the table and fiddled with it in his hands. "Let me at least make this up to you tonight. We can blow all of this money on a nice dinner. Or we could be very generous guests at a premier strip club?" It was his goal to have Chloe at least smirk to lighten the tension between them, but she was not in the mood for his jokes.

"I don't want anything to do with that money. And besides, we kind of have plans tonight. Ella's been seeing this guy, and it sounds like it's getting serious. She wants us to meet him tonight."

Lucifer looked over his shoulder toward the lab, surprised. "Miss Lopez is getting her freak on? Good for her. I can do that. Well, at least let me help with this pile of work." Chloe slid the green paper closer toward him across the table and propped herself up to get back to work at her laptop.

"If you want to help, you can hand this in, but I think I want to finish up this work alone." Her eyes were cold as she tried to find where she left off in her report, avoiding his gaze as he collected the paper.

Lucifer stopped himself at the glass door and gave his partner a final glance over. "We're good, though? I mean, we talked it out. We're okay?" Chloe didn't meet his eyes, but he searched for them anyways. It was apparent she was still hurt and needed more time to separate herself from the situation and him. She looked up in his direction and let her eyes settle on his hand placed on the glass door handle.

Her tone was dry and emotionless as she spoke out, "I'll call you later with plans for tonight."

* * *

"But, you understand why she's upset now?" Linda had her black leather portfolio open over her lap as one long crossed over the other. Lucifer leaned back comfortably on her office couch with one arm hanging over the back frame as he stared out the window. He reluctantly nodded to Linda's words as his mind wandered.

"I just have to find a way to make it up to her. Things have been going so well between us; it just makes sense that I'm the one to mess it up. It's very on-brand for me."

"It's very common for couples to have disagreements, and I'm sure you two will work this out. Since this was your first technical fight as a couple, maybe something to look forward to is the make-up sex." Lucifer shifted in his spot uncomfortably, and his thumb ran up and down the inside of his fingers. Linda closed her notes at the site of Lucifer's weak smile. "You know, I'm surprised you haven't brought this topic up yet."

He cocked his brows in surprise, trying to think of what to say. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell." He avoided her eyes and focused on his foot that shook impatiently over his knees.

"Yes, a gentleman doesn't, but you're the devil. You have told me many, many stories before- even when I begged you to stop. Lucifer, you and Chloe have this- this connection, chemistry." Linda shifted in her chair, preparing herself for the details. "You know, as your therapist, I think it would help me gain some insight." She fixed the neckline on her dress as her cheeks grew red. Lucifer slowly watched Linda transform in front of him from a therapist to a thirsty friend. "I bet it's hot. It's hot, isn't it?" She pushed up the side of her glasses, waiting for some type of reaction from her patient, but he just sat there.

Lucifer felt his mouth grow dry, and he leaned forward to pour himself a glass of water from the pitcher on the table. "It would put hell to shame." Linda cocked her head to the side as she watched Lucifer pour the water into his glass. There was no vibrancy to his voice or color to his face as he spoke, and Linda sat back with a small smile as the heat inside her faded to embers.

"You haven't had sex yet..." He refused to meet her eyes as he stared down into the water. "... and you're scared."

He jerked his head up, agitated and insecure. "The devil does not get scared, Doctor." He huffed a hot and heavy breath out of his nose before chugging his water back.

"You're hesitant. Sex has always been an important aspect of your life. You've said it yourself, that it's part of your identity." She studied his face as he licked his lips, quickly tapping a finger impatiently against the glass. "But it's not just sex, is it? It's a natural feeling to have this heavy pressure at the idea of…" Linda made a grand gesture of shaping an invisible beach ball in the air with her hands. "... making love."

Lucifer looked horrified as he slammed his glass down on the table. "I'm going to stop you right there. I feel like I need to remind you that my life is far from a Nicholas Sparks novel. I don't make- The detective and I- We- I-" Linda sat calmly watching Lucifer try to spit out his words, but he was unsuccessful in getting his point across. He took a deep breath and repositioned himself on the couch with his hands folded in his lap. "I don't want to talk about this."

They sat in silence for a few moments, and Linda watched Lucifer grow more uncomfortable. "Sometimes, when it's hard to talk about something, I find it useful to use analogies. So, maybe we're not talking about sex. Maybe, we are talking about cars?" She raised her eyebrows, waiting for the idea to sink in, and she relaxed as he opened his hands, directing her to start.

"Some could say you are a car enthusiast." Linda's words brought a smile to his mouth as he leaned forward, rubbing his hands together, growing reminiscent.

"I love to drive. I could do it all day, all night. I've practically gone everywhere and driven every car. Porsches, acuras, a lot of corvettes." Linda slowly nodded along, happy he was growing comfortable with the analogy, but her smile soon faded as he continued down his list. "Some Lamborghinis, two Ferraris- that happened on the same night, actually." Linda held up her hand to signal that she understood his driving experience. "One Volvo, and that was a mistake- I was off that night. Oh, a four-way with three mustangs, I mean." He laughed, clapping his hands together, remembering his wild nights.

"Okay, yes. Thank you, Lucifer. I think I got the full picture. You love to drive. So, what's stopping you from driving…" She stopped herself, not wanting to change the narrative Lucifer was creating and opening up with. Linda waited for him to complete her sentence.

He sat back deeper into the couch as his smile shifted to show hints of tenderness and longing. "Aston Martin."

Linda's cheeks grew tight as she smiled, admiring the thought that went into it. She didn't know her cars as much as Lucifer, but from growing up with a movie buff of a father, she knew this one. "Ah. A classic. James Bond's car."

Lucifer smiled brightly, pointing his fingers at his therapist, impressed with her background knowledge. "Yes. Excellent, Doctor."

"Lucifer, what is different about driving an Aston Martin versus the other cars? They all have four wheels; the mechanics are practically the same."

His smile faded away as he reached for his water once more. "Before, I could pop the hood. See what made the engine rev. I can't do that with this one. I'd be driving in the dark with no headlights."

"You've known that from day one, though. You know you can't pull Chloe's desires out, but that hasn't stopped you before. What is different about this time around?"

Lucifer stood taking his suit jacket off as he began feeling uncomfortably hot. He tossed the jacket on the side of the couch and aimlessly paced to the side. "Because I- I know that she loves me. She said the words and those words can't be taken back. I'm sorry, I couldn't think of an analogy for that one."

Linda closed her eyes with a faint smile knowing this was his fear from the beginning but knew he had to admit it out loud. "Put the analogy aside. By avoiding something that's bothering you, it can affect other areas in your relationship, like being physical. She said those three words to you, and it's not sitting right. Why?"

He rolled his eyes up the ceiling, feeling the heavyweight of those three words. "She's seen me at my worst- seen what pure evil is, but yet she sees me as a good man, an angel. I've hurt her; I don't even know how many times, and she still stood by my side as my partner. I left her, and she waited. I tell her everything I did- I tell her about Uriel, and she understands. Today, she was clearly mad and upset with me, and yet she still wanted me to hand that paper in."

"And what's wrong with that? It sounds like she's validating her feelings, proving to you how she feels."

Lucifer leaned against her cabinets that sat below her window, and he angrily clenched the air in front of him. "I don't know how she sees so much good in me. With everything I've done in my life, you'd think I could do anything, but I can't even say those three words. How pathetic is that? And it's not because I don't- she knows I do. I mean, I said it in so many words." He paused, entwining his fingers tighter together at his waist. "I think it's not sitting right with me because deep down I- I know I don't deserve it."

Linda pivoted in her chair, trying to face the conflicted devil. "I don't doubt your feelings for her or doubt that she knows how you feel. Maybe those three words are hard for you to say because you've never heard them before, you've never said them before, and I don't know if you can even say those words to yourself. Lucifer, I don't think this is about Chloe. This is about how you see yourself; how you view your self-worth. Once you start forgiving yourself, this heavy burden you carry will go away. And maybe you'll start seeing yourself the way she sees you."

* * *

Los Hermanos Hambrientos was a small Mexican restaurant in Venice Beach that was growing in popularity. What started as two brothers renting a food truck on the weekend grew into a new space with eclectic furniture and authentic food. The restaurant space itself was small, but tonight felt even smaller as a live mariachi band performed in the corner. Chloe watched the gold embellishments on the band's uniform reflect off the mirror behind the bar as she waited for her house margarita.

She took a deep breath in watching the reflection of a familiar face find her through the line of reservation holders. As the bartender slid the salt-rimmed drink in her direction, Lucifer was leaning against the bar next to her. They sat in intense, awkward silence as the bartender made Lucifer's drink. A tequila straight with an orange peel spiraled on the rim slid into Lucifer's hands. Chloe nervously bit down on her slip straw, waiting for him to speak first, but the silence was too much for both of them. "Detective, I-"

"I'm sorry." Lucifer jerked his head toward her in surprise as she blurted out an apology before him. He looked completely confused as she spun her body toward his. "I shouldn't have just assumed you were behind the bet, even though you looked pretty guilty- but that's not the point. I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt, and I should have. Although I do not agree with how you went about it, you still found a way to bring the bets to an end, and that's what I should have focused on. So, I'm sorry."

He wanted to open his mouth to tell her that he didn't need an apology. That he deserved the cold shoulder from her, but he stopped himself. Even though he didn't see his qualities as redeemable, she did. It was hard to accept an apology he didn't think he deserved, but he took the step forward and replaced his words with a small smile of acceptance. Lucifer opened the left side of his suit jacket and pulled out a folded letter from his pocket and slid it across the counter to Chloe.

"What is this?"

"Just open it." Chloe unfolded the letter reluctantly, and her eyes quickly scanned the letter from left to right. Her eyes softened as they made their way down the middle of the letter, and they lingered over the personalized signature from the Lieutenant. It was a thank you note.

"You donated the money." There was so much admiration in her eyes as they darted up to him happily surprised.

"By this summer, you, along with the rest of the LAPD, will have all-new tactical body armor." He brought his glass up to his lips and paused before taking a sip. "And an espresso machine." She hid her laugh behind a tight-lipped smile, knowing the espresso machine was for himself, but it was a generous gift nonetheless. He leaned against the bar calm and collected, drinking his tequila as if his good deed were no big deal.

Chloe leaned in, squeezing his forearm. "That was very big of you. I'd almost say, mature."

A small smile slid into the corners of his mouth as he tried to downplay the pride he felt in making the right decision. "I mostly blame it on this small, annoying voice in the back of my head. Sounds a bit like you, actually." She released a laugh that was muted from the blaring trumpet in the corner. He tilted the end of his glass in her direction, and she clinked her glass to his, commemorating the end of their fight. Chloe scooped her arm around his and pressed her cheek into his arm, feeling connected to him once more.

"So, what do we know about this guy?" Chloe shrugged at Lucifer's question, giving the entrance a second glance for their arrival.

"I don't know. I just know she likes him."

"What do you mean you don't know? No background checks? What if he's a murderer or just got out of prison for grand theft auto?"

Chloe gave a small tug on the bottom of his suit jacket, admiring how protective he was over his friends. "If that were true, then he and Ella have a lot in common. I trust Ella's instincts. If he were a bad guy, she wouldn't have gotten this serious with him."

A young woman with untamed, tight curls grabbed their attention as she pushed her way through the crowd. "Chloe? Your table's ready." They followed the coils away from the bar and a few steps to the center of the restaurant, where an empty table awaited them in the middle. She dropped off four menus and a mix of cutlery for Chloe to hand out accordingly.

Lucifer pulled out a chair for his partner and leaned over her shoulder to speak clearly into her ear as she sat. "We both know Ella can be a bit too trusting of people."

"And maybe that's why she invited us to meet him. Love makes people blind." Lucifer felt his tongue swell at the sound of that word as he sat down. It was so much easier saying it when he was leaving. When he knew it was his, what he thought was, last moments with Chole. He felt his chest grow tight, and his mouth longed for more liquid courage. His arm comfortably laid across Chloe's lap, and he rested his hand over her knee as she casually skimmed the menu.

After a hard swallow of tequila, Lucifer thought hard on why the simple four-letter word was so difficult for him. He just needed a little bit of practice to work himself up to where he needed to be. He gave Chloe a quick side glance before speaking. "Did you know that I- I love- Mexican food?"

Chloe continued to scan the section labeled "Pescado" as her dry voice spoke out, "Mmhmm. That's why I suggested this place."

Lucifer swirled the two fingers of tequila in his glass as he started to feel better about the practice. "I love- tequila."

She popped her eyes up from the menu, staring at Lucifer, cautious, and bewildered. "Yeah, I see that."

He was feeling good and began searching through the restaurant for his next love. "Mariachi bands! I- I don't actually love those."

Chloe gave the hand on her knee a small squeeze to grab his attention. "You okay?" As he turned to address her, a chilling prickle worked its way down his spine, making the hair beneath his suit stand. A strong force pulled him away from his reality, and the unwelcomed icy breeze that swept over his body made his head slowly turn toward the entrance. Chloe watched Lucifer's face transform into a look she could only describe as disoriented.

His grip tightened around Chloe's knee, jolting her forward. She grabbed the ends of the table and tried to suppress a painful screech. "Lucifer, if you squeeze any tighter, you're going to pop my kneecap off." His grip weakened on her, but his hand stayed firmly in place as he watched the couple slowly approach their table.

"Detective, it's him."

"Who?" Chloe tried to follow Lucifer's gaze but stopped at the sight of Ella walking hand in hand with a man. He was tall, handsome, and Ella was proud to be on his arm by the look of her wide smile.

"Hey, sorry we're late." She sucked in her lips, excited to make the formal introductions officially. "Chloe, Lucifer, this is Michael."

Ella waited for the couple to stand, to make a formal introduction or at least smile, but Chloe and Lucifer stayed in their seats, staring at the new guest with a restrained and impassive expression. A wave of nausea passed through Chloe as she ground her teeth hard together to prevent her jaw from dropping in shock. Her eyes darted to Lucifer to Michael and then back to Ella. She couldn't imagine what was going through Lucifer's mind right now, but as her eyes fell on Ella, Chloe knew she had to put on her best act. Ella was clueless about the situation at hand, and it was going to remain that way.

Chloe tried her best to relax her shoulders and produce somewhat of a genuine smile. "It's so nice to meet you! We'd get up, but-" Chloe pointed around the restaurant to show the tight, confined space they were placed into. They took their seats as Ella told the detailed story of how traffic was not on their side. Chloe did her best to listen, but her eyes kept drawing back to Michael, who sat patiently across from Lucifer with a condescending smile. From the moment he walked in, the two estranged brothers never broke eye contact.

Ella continued to nervously word vomit her thoughts on the restaurant, the reviews she's heard from friends, and how great the menu looked while her audience stayed silent. Chloe took the time to try to find any family resemblance, but she was coming up short. Michael seemed to be a mix of Chinese-American descent with skin smooth and poreless. The thick black brows that rested above his almond-shaped eyes balanced his robust and chiseled face. His short hair was styled back, highlighting the simple gold cuff pierced around his helix. It was easy to see that Michael had a cut, toned body beneath his sweater and button-down pairing. As he leaned forward to speak, he shined his perfect white teeth.

"I can't tell you how much I've been looking forward to this. When Ella told me one of her close friends was a man who believed he was the Devil, well, I just knew I had to meet him." Ella leaned into Michael, waiting for Lucifer to make one of his quick remarks, but he stayed silent. The smile from Ella's face faded, watching the cold eyes that Lucifer released on her date. Michael calmly smiled as he moved his discussion to Chloe. "And Chloe, Ella can't stop saying amazing things about you. Both of you two. It sounds like you two are quite the team." Chloe felt a shiver of distaste run down her spine as his eyes met hers, and she squeezed onto the back of Lucifer's hand until the discomfort passed.

Ella's eyes darted back and forth between the couple across from her, not understanding how they could be so quiet, almost rude. Michael was doing his best to make conversation, but they continued to sit in tense silence as if this were an interrogation. "Okay, guys, what's going on." Lucifer didn't acknowledge Ella's burst of annoyance, and Chloe opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Michael enjoyed his current view of a detective, who could not think on her feet, and a King of hell, who sat frozen. Ella rolled her eyes as a smile crept back in on her lips. "I think I know what's happening here. You guys are still fighting from this morning."

Chloe released a tense sigh through her teeth before chugging back the rest of her margarita. "Yeah, you caught us. I'm sorry, Ella. We'll brush it under the rug for now."

Ella relaxed her body feeling relieved that it wasn't Michael making them tense and irritable. She looked over her shoulder at the bar, and her mouth grew wet over the idea of a cocktail in her hand. "I think tonight will be easier with drinks. I'm going to head to the bar, and I'll get something for all of us." Ella released her hand from Michael's, and she headed into the crowd with her clutch tight against her chest.

Lucifer waited to speak once Ella disappeared out of sight. "What are you doing here? What do you want with Ms. Lopez?" Michael picked up a menu casually and scanned some of the items.

"Hello to you too, brother." He paused, scanning the menu back and front before carelessly tossing it onto the table. "It's adorable seeing you trying to act human." Michael looked around him, staring in a mix of amusement and disgust watching the other guests scarf down their large plates of food. "I never understood your fascination with this place, these people. They all reek of desperation and greed. But you were always the black sheep of the family." Michael finally took the time to rest his eyes on his brother. "It's been some time. I thought you'd be more…" He circled his pointer finger around his face. "... red."

Lucifer eagerly smiled something sinister as he leaned forward. "Oh, it's there. I'd love to show you." His fist clenched closed, and Chloe felt his body temperature grow hot. She darted her eyes up to his and watched his pupils turn a burning red.

Chloe moved her hand up his arm holding him back against the chair. "Lucifer, there are too many people here." His eyes quickly extinguished as he thought of strangers seeing his true nature and the pain it would cause them.

Michael turned to Chloe, amused how a simple woman could tame such a beast. "Your human knows about you?" Lucifer squeezed Chloe's knee tighter once more, not wanting the topic to turn to her.

Chloe ignored the numbing pain in her leg and folded her arms into one another. "I'm my own human, thank you very much, and of course I know about Lucifer. Now, answer his question. What do you want with Ella?"

"Oh, she's got a fire to her." Michael was taken back by the look in Chloe's eyes. He wasn't used to humans having a feeling of resentment toward him. "Why do I have the feeling that you don't like me?"

"Because I know what you're capable of. How can I have respect for someone willing to do what they did to their own family." Michael was now even more amused by the human that Lucifer had been protective over since his arrival. Ella had told him stories about Chloe and their working partnership, but he typically tuned her out until he heard her speak about Lucifer, specifically. He began to think he underestimated the relationship that laid before him; if Lucifer was open to discussing so much of his past with her. Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath in through his nose. His hands rubbed rapidly together as if he were kindling a fire, and then he stopped, pressing them into the air in front of him.

Chloe leaned over to Lucifer, confused. "What is he doing?"

Lucifer rolled his eyes as his brother showed off his gift. "He's doing his thing." Lucifer lazily pointed around the restaurant, and Chloe quickly watched as the mood shifted. Guests looked almost intoxicatingly happy and light as they continued their conversations and meals. Whatever negative thought that passed through their minds, whatever doubt or worry someone felt, Michael manipulated the emotions of the humans around him to be content and peaceful. Michael looked back to Chloe, waiting for the human to be staring at him with stars in her eyes, ignoring whatever hate she felt before, but he was surprisingly mistaken.

Her eyes remained filled with resentment as Michael leaned forward. He was utterly in awe of her and tried to search deeper into her eyes. "Why didn't that work on you?"

"Why didn't what work?"

Michael tilted his head to the side, studying her. "What are you?"

"Chloe!" Ella's small petite body popped out from the crowd as she made her way back at the table. She released her phone from her ear and had a smile that made her look almost high. "Dan's on the phone. There was a double homicide." She leaned closer to her friends, keeping her voice down. "It may or may not involve the mayor's daughter. All hands on deck." The case sounded concerning, but Ella smiled her way through it as a calmness continued to buzz in her veins. Ella turned to Michael to apologize for leaving him as Lucifer leaned into Chloe.

He released his hand from Chloe's knee, leaving a white handprint on her olive skin. "Go."

She felt Michael's eyes on her still as she kept her voice low. "I'm not leaving you here with him."

"We both know I'm better off with you gone." His tongue was sharp as he spoke. Chloe grabbed her clutch and paused before standing, wanting to stay. She gave Lucifer one final look before standing to her feet and following Ella out the door.

"Brother, what have you been hiding here on Earth?"

Lucifer didn't know what to say as his eyes followed Chloe to ensure she was out the door. The burning red sensation returned in his eyes once she was out of view, and he grabbed his brother by the collar across the table. "If you hurt her, I swear to you, I will end you."

Michael didn't find the anger in his brother intimidating, but more comical. Lucifer grew angrier as Michael's small chuckle grew into a loud laugh. Lucifer released his grip on the collar as the red in his eyes disappeared, and Michael clapped his hands together, relishing at the moment between laughs. "Wow. The Devil in love. How cute. I knew Earth could mess some people up, but it did a number on you, didn't it?" Michael wiped a tear away from his eye as few chuckles worked their way out.

"I'm glad my life is so amusing to you."

Michael calmed himself down and folded his hands on the table. "It's not that. I think it's funny that you think she could ever love you. She doesn't know you. The real you."

"Michael, why are you here?" Lucifer knew he didn't need to justify his relationship with someone who saw less of him. He wanted to take Chloe out of the equation altogether. Michael casually looked to the guests at the table next to him and watched as a man maneuvered multiple tortilla chips into his mouth.

"I'm here to clean up Father's mess."

Lucifer sat up more alert and concerned. "Dad sent you?"

"Not exactly, and that's where he messed up the first time around. When word broke out that the Devil was taking early retirement, I urged father to send me. Trust me when I say, I was looking forward to sending you back to your rightful place. But did he send me? No. He thought Amenadiel was the wiser choice."

Lucifer sat back as his lips spread into a small smile. "You're turning green, brother." Michael's nostrils flared as Lucifer caught the similar scenes of jealousy on Michael's face.

"Amenadiel was a mistake! The brother that spoke of humanity as a joke, the brother that proved time and time again that we were the superior beings, now walks among them—procreating with them. Amenadiel always thought he was the strongest of all of us, but he's just as weak as you. Then Lily told me this great story of two brothers and a goddess." Michael watched Lucifer make a face at his last words, but he didn't know what it meant. "What? You don't think we have eyes and ears down here at all times?"

"Oh, no, it's not that. It's just nice to know that I've been out of the Silver City for eons, and I'm still the main topic of discussion. It must be really boring up there if that's the case." Lucifer grinned while drinking the last bits of tequila in his glass.

"It's hard not to talk about the Devil when the rumors spread of his goodwill and faith on Earth. Everyone was talking about how _the_ Lucifer was saving lives, helping humanity, creating a new universe for an unforgiving Goddess, guiding a lost soul in her second chance at life. They were all so blind. They didn't see what was right in front of them."

A waiter approached with a notepad in hand, but Lucifer immediately shooed him away. "And what did you see?"

Michael opened his hands to emphasize the brother in front of him. "Pure evil." Lucifer looked down at his empty glass as a voice fought inside his head to not listen and to not believe. "When everyone was growing in pride over your actions, I was the only one who knew- knew you could never be forgiven for what you've done. You walked this Earth, using humans, seeing them as expendable. You paraded around your divinity as if the blessing that was given to us was a joke. You broke your angel oath and murdered a human. You ended Caine's punishment. And worst of all, you murdered your own brother. My brother. An angel."

Lucifer felt his heart sink deeper into his chest at the thought of Uriel and that night in the abandoned church, but he knew he had no choice. Michael looked down and paused his anger to give a moment of thought to his lost brother. When Michael opened his eyes again, they opened with a darkness Lucifer couldn't put into words. "There was one person who still saw you as the same old Lucifer. Who knew the evil. That craved it. She was the key to proving to everyone that you could never change."

"Eve." Lucifer breathed out her name hoarsely, feeling his muscle tense below his skin.

"Who do you think gave her the idea to leave? To be with her first, true love. I thought she could do it. But you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

Lucifer slowly shook his head at the sight of a brother who was still holding on to the past. He positioned himself taller in his chair and raised his chin to grow stronger, to feel stronger. "I'm not evil. I'm more than you think I am." Lucifer spoke the words out slowly. He spoke intending to prove his brother wrong, but Lucifer really spoke those words to make himself believe it was the truth.

"No, you're not. Do you honestly think a few good deeds erase everything you've done? Every selfish thing? You can't tell me that these good deeds weren't all out of selfish gain. I don't know why the people don't see who you truly are. I don't know why father doesn't-"

Lucifer felt a rage build and burn inside of him. His body felt flooded by the hate and anger; he not only felt for his brother, but for himself. Lucifer screamed out in frustration, "Because I'm not that man anymore."

The hand that held his drink shattered the glass into pieces as he clenched his fist closed. Veins popped out of his neck, and his eyes widened with tears. The restaurant came to a subtle pause at the sound of Lucifer's roar. The power that Michael had over the guests came to an end as low whispers and eyes drew to the table in fear; even the Mariachi band skipped a beat in their song. But Lucifer and Michael did not care for their audience.

"Lucifer, You'll always be-"

Lucifer let his rage take over, but refused to let Michael see the skinless beast he created. "No! I've changed. I'm-" Both brothers paused as the restaurant came to a stop. The blaring music became mute, and the man with the chips slowly made his lips meet the corn tortilla.

Michael subtly looked over his shoulder, threatened at the surprised arrival of another brother. Amenadiel and Maze raced into the restaurant, maneuvering their way around the frozen patrons, but Lucifer lifted his hand in their direction to make them stop in their tracks. Maze had her blades at the ready, and Michael darted his eyes back to Lucifer to wait for any fast movements.

"I'm not going to fight you, brother."

Amenadiel nodded his head at Lucifer's words and added on his own words to deescalate the current situation. "We just want to talk. I know we can come to an understanding. My son, he's-"

Michael quickly stood from his chair, causing Lucifer, Amenadiel, and Maze to prepare for a fight, but Michael pointed a finger to Amenadiel to keep him quiet. "You made a mockery of our family. All of you did." Michael looked back down to Lucifer with the same hate in his eyes that he remembered on their last encounter.

Lucifer tilted his head curiously at Michael's phrasing. "All?"

"I gave up on you a long time ago, brother. How you dishonor our family down here on Earth is no surprise to me. Amenadiel…" Michael jerked his head around to face his older brother. "... now, you were a surprise. What you created with that human, you will have to pay for that. Or your son will, at least." Maze held Amenadiel back as he began to charge forward.

"But the ultimate betrayal came from our little sister. The angel of death does not spare lives, but for Ella, she did. She grew attached and, for once, disobeyed her right to control the order of life and death."

Lucifer stood, pleading with his brother. "Leave Ella out of this. She doesn't know about any of us. She doesn't know who Azreal really is. Ella is innocent in this." Michael's eyes were cold and calculating. His brother's plea did not move him.

Amenadiel shouted from behind Maze's force, "Father wouldn't want this."

Michael stood back to spread his beige, blade-like wings out wide. "I'm doing what Father could never do. I'm going to do what is right for my family. A war is coming brothers, and I'm sorry to see you on the other side of it."

Lucifer lunged forward to take hold of his brother as he screamed, but Michael was gone.

* * *

Once the elevator doors opened, Lucifer burst through the opening, craving anything that his bar could provide. "Luci, you're not telling us everything." Amenadiel picked up his pace as he followed behind his brother, and Maze straggled behind, absorbing Lucifer's play by play. He was tense and irritable after his encounter with his estranged brother, and he grew more frustrated that Amenadiel and Maze interrupted them.

Lucifer made his way behind the bar and unscrewed the top of a bottle of whiskey, pouring himself a hefty cup of the brown liquid. "I could have had him, and now because of you two, we don't know where he is."

Maze rolled her eyes as she played with her blade. "Chloe did the right thing in calling me."

Lucifer felt his insides shake from the shock of his night as he took his first swig back. Amenadiel leaned against the bar begging his brother to say more. Before the brim of his cup met his lips, Lucifer spoke out in a low tone, "He said Lily. Not Lilith. Lily."

Maze shot her head up with a hint of fear behind her eyes from across the bar. Amenadiel shook his head, not understanding the significance as he watched his brother chug down the mass amount of liquor. With a blade in tow, Maze shot a fist up aggressively at Lucifer. "I told you, Lucifer. I told you that she could never be trusted."

Her blade was only inches away from Lucifer's face, and Amenadiel pushed Maze's fierce arm down to the bar to calm the tension. "You think Lilith and Michael are working together?" Before Lucifer could speak, a towering silhouetted figure stood out on the balcony, catching Lucifer's eye.

Placing his glass down, Lucifer lifted a finger to quiet the two across the bar. "It's courageous of you to break into the Devil's home." Lucifer made his way around the bar and stopped himself at the edge of the piano. He squinted his eyes, trying to recognize the figure across his suite, but it was too dark. Maze slowly lifted her fists into a fighting stance as Amenadiel watched cautiously from behind. The towering figure stayed in its place, staring up into the night's sky.

"I can promise you; there are better places to get a view of the LA skyline. More public places." The large man turned around to face his curious audience, and he took one step into the moon's beam of light. Lucifer tried to find the familiarity in his eyes, nose, or mouth, but nothing. The large man stood at six foot four, and his body was thickly layered in untoned muscle. His dark skin shined off of the moon's light, and his face remained stoic. Lucifer waited for the older man to respond.

Lucifer looked back to Maze and his brother to make sure they were witnessing this odd interaction. The man did not respond but took slow steps into the suite. "Listen, if you're here for a favor, the office is closed tonight. You'll have to come back another time, and preferably somewhere more public." Lucifer was never intimidated by humans before, but this one made him eerily uncomfortable.

The man stopped only a foot away from Lucifer, and his face softened on the devil before him. Lucifer opened his mouth to speak once more but stopped at an unfamiliar sensation worming its way through his body. Amenadiel felt a familiar force awaken inside of him, and his eyes grew wider as they stung with tears. "Maze, it's okay." She double looked in Amenadiel's direction, catching the tears in his eyes, reflecting off of the moon's light. Her blades slowly lowered to her sides as Amenadiel stepped closer to his brother.

The brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, trying to make sense of the stranger before them. The large man cupped his left hand around Amenadiel's cheek and his right hand around Lucifer's. A single tear streamed down the center of Amenadiel's face as his lips trembled out, "Father."


	8. Because My Dad Sucks

She had left him three voicemails and ten text messages to see if he was alright or even alive, but all she received was silence. Twelve hours had passed since Chloe last saw Lucifer- twelve long hours. Since she had left him with Michael, Chloe went about her night at the precinct, feeling completely unbalanced. She couldn't tell her friends the worry that took over her mind and body, so she threw herself into the case. Chloe unintentionally slammed an orange onto her cutting board as her eyes darted to her phone. Before taking the knife into her hands, she ignited her cell phone into life and scrolled through the last messages sent. She skimmed the frantic messages that she had sent to Maze through the night when Lucifer wasn't answering, but it was silent.

Her gut told her something was off, that something was wrong, but she kept trying to steady her breath. No news could be good news, she said to herself. Maybe the reunion with his brother went better than expected, and they spent the night catching up. She nodded, trying to calm herself down as she cut the orange into sliced wedges. Her stomach churned, knowing it could also be worse. That it probably was worse. Lucifer could be hurt, back in Hell, Maze could be dead, Michael could be on his way here. Chloe placed her knife down and stared aimlessly at her kitchen counter, allowing the negative thoughts to wash over her.

"Hey, Mom, your case made the morning news. I see you in the background!" Trixie sat crossed-legged on the couch, braiding her hair back, still in her pajamas. Chloe came back to reality listening to the background audio of a case she knew more about than the reporter as she slipped the orange slices into a silicone bag. The case was more straightforward than they thought it would be, but it was turning out to be a PR mess. She pulled out the bread and lunch meat from the fridge to finish Trixie's lunch but stopped at the noise of someone outside her side door. The door handle moved in quick movements but soon stopped as the person realized it was locked. Chloe darted her eyes to her daughter, who sat clueless on the couch out of sight, and she quickly motioned her hand down to the holster on her hip.

A key aggressively jolted into the lock, and Lucifer sprung his body through the door looking for his detective. Her whole body relaxed at the sound of his voice. "I stopped by the precinct, but they said you went home." Trixie cheered out his name from the living room when she noticed him saunter into view as he worked his way around the island to greet Chloe. He stumbled back a few steps when Chloe threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

She closed her eyes as she whispered out, "you're okay."

His arms closed around the small of her back, and the irritable feeling that followed him through his night suddenly disappeared. He smiled as the calmness set in down his body. "Let's go away."

She released her grip on the Devil, and her fingertips traced around the outline of his face as her eyes searched for any bruising or cuts from a potential fight. "What?"

"How about Paris? Or we could go to Mykonos? Oh, I know- Singapore. Fantastic food."

Chloe looked back into her living room to ensure her daughter was out of sight and ear reach. "Slow down and tell me what's going on. What happened to Michael?" She kept her voice low as she took a few steps back. The farther she stepped away, the more Lucifer looked lost and hurt- desperate to escape.

"Michael was the same old smug, holier-than-thou brother I remembered. He was just throwing a temper tantrum and wants to, apparently, start a war. He has this mission to destroy us for creating lives for ourselves outside of the Silver City. Oh, and he's using Ella to hurt Azareal, my sister- you haven't met her yet."

Chloe tried to get a word in as Lucifer quickly recapped his night, and she raised her hand to stop him from talking. "I'm sorry, can we go back to the war thing?"

Lucifer lowered his voice and spoke out in disgust, "But Michael is old news. There's a far worse evil in town- my father." Chloe's mouth shook open in shock, and her mind raced a million miles a minute.

Her throat cracked out an incoherent sound as she tried to find her voice. "Your father? As in…" Chloe looked back to the living room once more to see if her daughter was nearby. Her voice was inaudible as she worded out his formal name, "...God?" Lucifer walked around Chloe and opened her liquor cabinet to pour himself whatever he could find that was dark brown and rich in flavor. "Wait. You thought this before, and it wasn't him. How do you know it's him this time?"

Lucifer poured at least three fingers of whiskey into two glasses and filled Chloe's empty hand with one of the cups. He raised his glass to cheers her from a distance before speaking. "Trust me. It's him." He took small sips to savor his drink as he watched Chloe lean her body back against the counter for stability.

"Wow. Why is he here? What did he say?" Lucifer shrugged, impatiently stirring his drink with his wrist moving in circles.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Chloe cocked her head waiting for his explanation, and Lucifer rolled his eyes up to the ceiling in defeat. "I may have left after his big reveal. The last time the old man and I spoke was eons ago, and they weren't on the best of terms. At this point, I have nothing to say to him. I won't give him the satisfaction. And if I'm honest, I don't care what he has to say. I think I've done a fine job living my life without him; what's a little while longer?"

If this were anyone else, she'd push her friend to do the right thing- talk with their dad, but this was Lucifer. She had heard more than her fair share of commentary on Lucifer's relationship with his father. Back when she thought he was insane, throwing his metaphors around, she heard the hate and hurt in his voice as he blamed everything on the big man upstairs. Now, knowing the full truth of everything in his life, she accepted Lucifer's avoidance. Lucifer and his father shared a heavy, dark, and lengthy past, one that she could never have a full grasp of understanding.

Trixie dragged her feet into the kitchen, and she stopped at the sight of hard liquor touching her mom's lips at seven in the morning. Chloe dropped her glass quickly to the counter and wiped away a drop of whiskey sitting on the edge of her mouth. "Hi, sweetie." Unlike his partner, Lucifer continued to casually shoot back his drink, feeling no effect from the little human's judgment.

"I'm hungry. Can Lucifer make me one of his omelets?" The Devil perked up with a smile at the welcomed distraction from his current state.

Chloe looked back down at the deconstructed sandwich that she forgot she was making for her daughter. "No, he can't. There's not enough time. You need to be at school soon, and I don't know why you're still not dressed."

Trixie slouched, feeling for her forehead. "I don't feel good. I don't think I should go to school." She did her best to perform a mucusy cough, but her audience furrowed their brows in disbelief.

Lucifer leaned into Chloe's ear and kept his voice low, "Your offspring didn't get the acting gene."

Chloe pointed her butter knife smothered in mustard at her daughter, and Trixie rolled her eyes at the stern look on her mother's face. "Nice try. Go get dressed. Oh, and don't forget your weekend bag. Your dad is going to pick you up from school, and you can hang out at the precinct until he can go home."

Trixie's mood changed as she lingered on the edge of the counter, and her voice grew quieter. "I don't know if I want to go to Dad's this weekend." Lucifer felt an emotional conversation coming on and excused himself to the other side of Chloe, where he could pick at the thin slices of turkey and pop it into his mouth.

Chloe's voice softened at the sight of her daughter. "Honey, I thought we talked about this? He's going to make it up to you. He always does."

Trixie's voice was dry and monotone as she stared down away from her mom. "Yeah, I know. I just want to stay here this weekend." Chloe gave a small, endearing nod to her daughter, hoping it would clear her cold face, but it was no help. She watched her daughter drag her feet back to her bedroom for a wardrobe change, and Lucifer quickly wiped his hands clean of lunch meat.

"What did the douche do now?"

Chloe rolled her eyes in Lucifer's direction at the nickname. "It's nothing. There was this thing they were going to do tonight, but he had to cancel for work."

Lucifer smacked his hands hard together, surprising her. "Work! Detective, I am here to help for as long as you need. The more time, the better. How can I provide my expertise?"

Chloe sighed, knowing Lucifer was looking for any distraction to keep him away from his dad. "I wish you could, but it was an open and shut case. The Mayor's daughter got mixed up with the wrong guy, and it ended up being a simple drug deal gone wrong. We're just dealing with the Mayor's office at this point and hunting down the main drug lord, which the Lieutenant put in a request for Maze- if she ever answers her phone." Lucifer's shoulders sank, defeated. "But, I'm sure you could help Ella with something in the lab, or I think they're doing some office inventory today. That's time-consuming."

Lucifer winced at the options available to him. He was desperate to fill his time, but he wasn't that desperate. "I think I'll pass."

Chloe rubbed his arm while pouting her lip. "I'm sorry." She released a long sigh as she looked down at her phone, not wanting to make her next phone call. "I think I need to call Dan and let him know the change in plans. Can you finish this for me?" Chloe picked up her phone and walked to her living room for some privacy. Lucifer looked down at the two open pieces of wheat bread with mustard slathered on both ends and decided to finish his whiskey instead.

Trixie slowly walked back to the counter, dropping her heavy book bag down to her feet. Lucifer twisted his tongue in his mouth, enjoying his last drop of whiskey, and he observed the miserable tween hunching over the counter. "You really don't want to go to school, do you?" Trixie shook her head, throwing a buttoned cardigan over her shoulders. Lucifer leaned his head to the side to see how close Chloe was, and he cocked an eyebrow at the idea of a new distraction. He leaned down closer to Trixie to keep his partner out of earshot. "How would you like to play hooky today?" Trixie's eyes lit up, and a broad smile took over her face.

* * *

Linda sat frozen in the leather chair, her body tight and erect. She didn't know what to do at this moment but wanted to make a good impression, and so she began displaying her excellent posture. Her hands squeezed tightly together, and her eyes grew wide as she watched God browse the bookshelves in Lucifer's suite. Since she arrived at the penthouse, he had not spoken once, and she continued to feel a tense energy linger in the room.

Maze kept her eyes glued to the large man, who continued to walk around the suite to observe his son's decor. He made his way to the grand piano in the middle of the room, and he lightly touched the high keys with a small smile on his lips. "Don't touch that." Maze's voice was dry and direct, but she did not faze him.

Amenadiel quickly walked in from the bathroom with Charlie strapped to his chest in a baby harness. He stood firm with his neck out and fists clenched as he wanted answers from his father, but Charlie was not in a good mood today, and Amenadiel had to add a small bob to his stance to calm him down. God clasped his hands behind his back, looking amused at the little creature before him. "Father, we need answers."

God walked over to the couch and felt the smooth leather material before sitting. He took the empty crystal glass that sat on the coffee table into his hands, and he rolled the cold cup in his palms, smiling something small. "I'm here to see my children. It seems that things are getting out of hand down here." His direction was now on the fur accent throw on the edge of the couch, and his fingers combed through the thick, soft mane.

Amenadiel spoke out in concern, "Yes, Michael. We saw him last night. He's talking of war."

Maze stormed across the suite and yanked the throw out of reach. "Stop touching his stuff." She bundled the blanket into her arms and marched off to throw it onto the bed. The large man released a long sigh looking for something else to stimulate his senses.

"I will deal with Michael, do not worry. He disobeyed me. He knows the consequences of that." He looked up at the blonde woman across from him, and she sat up even straighter, shining a bright, tense smile. It was the first time he had paid attention to her since her arrival.

"You are the therapist?"

Linda nodded her head slowly, stunned by the large man with a booming voice. Her words came out shaky and hesitant. "It's nice to meet you finally. I- I have so many questions. But, I feel like I should start with- who are you? I mean, I know who you are obviously, but your body. Whose body is that?"

He placed his hands on his chest, pressing down on the doughy flesh. "There are very few bodies pure of heart in Los Angeles, but Edward Hammond graciously donated his body. Cardiac Arrest." He raised his forearm and studied the lines on the palm of his hand. "I've never taken human form before. It is a fascinating experience." He rubbed his thumb against his middle finger to create a snapping sound, and he looked up to his son delighted. "Amenadiel, did you see that?"

Linda looked over her shoulder at the bobbing Amenadiel baffled that the God she had heard so many stories of through the Bible and from her number one patient was the same God sitting across from her right now- laughing at the sound of snapping fingers.

Maze kicked her feet out and down the steps from Lucifer's bedroom slowly. "Listen, Ed. If you're here for Michael, then go get him and go home."

"It is not that simple, demon." Maze rolled her eyes at his formality. "He is not the only unfinished business that I have here." She looked at Amenadiel, jerking her head in his father's direction.

"Father, we need to find Michael before he acts out. He's already using an innocent human as a pawn. He's threatening the life of my child. I'm not forcing you to go home. I just want to sleep at night knowing my son's okay."

God rose to his feet and held his hands together at his waist. "Very well, then. Once Samael returns, I will summon Michael."

Maze slammed her head back onto the ancient stone archway that led to Lucifer's bedroom. "You've got to be kidding me."

Amenadiel dropped his head to his son with concern, and Linda pivoted in her chair to grab God's attention. Everyone knew once Lucifer had left last night, he wasn't planning to return anytime soon. "Yeah, I don't know if Lucifer is going to be very open to helping right now. I think he just needs some time to process." She gave a meek smile to the confused man hovering over her.

Maze whipped her blades back and forth over her hand and muttered low, " _I_ think he's halfway to Barbados by now."

"What does he need time to process?"

Linda opened her mouth to speak but looked to Amenadiel to fill in the blanks for his father. "You and Lucifer didn't have the best- hm, how do I put this? You two-"

Maze spoke over Amenadiel, who could barely get out a sentence to his father. "Lucifer doesn't want to talk to the guy who ruined his life for an eternity."

God tilted his head, battling with the mix of human emotions flowing through his body. "That was never my intention. I would never want to ruin my son's life. I did what was best for him." He looked genuine as he spoke. There was so much meaning in his eyes that Maze leaned back, conflicted by his reaction.

Amenadiel changed his bobs into sways as his eyes sorrowfully focused on the piano. "This is all my fault. You sent me down here with a simple task- to send Lucifer back to Hell, and I couldn't even do that. I failed you, father. I ended up focusing so much more on myself that I created this mess."

Ed's lips curved up in the corners as he admirably watched his son radiate guilt. "I sent you down here knowing Samael wouldn't go back. What you have done here- what both of you have done here, it makes a father proud. And that is why I need my sons together for this." Amenadiel furrowed his brow, absorbing the unexpected compliment. Maze focused on the large man before her setting Amenadiel's guilts to ease, and she closed her eyes, trying to focus on the bad things Lucifer had told her through the years. She didn't have the best parental figures growing up, but something inside of her told her he was telling the truth.

Linda walked over to her son, strapped against Amenadiel's chest, and fixed his beanie to cover his ears. "Maybe if we focus Lucifer's attention on Charlie, he'll be more open to helping." Maze closed the triangle gap and formed a small huddle to exclude God from their conversation.

Amenadiel shook his head, knowing his brother. "He cares for Charlie, but this is our father we're talking about. This is years of resentment and hate. He can't just push that away."

Maze pulled her phone out of her pocket and saw her screen filled with a mix of phone calls and texts from Chloe. "What if we pull Decker into this? She can get through to him. He trusts whatever she says." God perked up as Maze spoke, and his eyes lit up with curiosity at the familiar name. He looked over his shoulder at the elevator and back to the huddle.

Amenadiel looked off pensively, trying to concoct a plan, and Linda kept her voice low to not offend the man behind her. "I don't know. Lucifer might feel ganged up on and who's to say she wouldn't take his side in all of this. It might backfire."

Maze shoved her hands in her back pockets and leaned into her hip, looking indifferent. "I mean, would you blame her."

Maze casually looked over her shoulder, and her eyes scanned the suite for a man that could not be found. "Guys…"

Linda continued speaking, looking down at her son, who playfully kicked his feet out of the harness. "Amenadiel, I think maybe you should talk to him."

He looked very skeptical, ignoring the hope in Linda's words. "When has he ever listened to me?"

"Guys…" Both looked to Maze, who presented her arm out across the penthouse. "...he's gone."

* * *

Lucifer leaned his head back out of the Ferris wheel's pod to feel the sun's rays beam down on his face. He spread his arms wideout on his side of the cabin, drowning out the children's screams below. Trixie dug her hand into the lifesize bag of kettle corn as she looked down onto the Santa Monica Pier. The Ferris wheel slowly brought them up cabin by cabin, allowing other passengers to exit and enter, and they slowly swayed with the ocean's breeze.

Right about this time, Trixie would be walking into algebra class, but now she chomped down on a hand full of popcorn sticking to her teeth as she looked out over the ocean. It was only 1:30 p.m., and they already accomplished so much that day. Lucifer took her out for breakfast at an old fashion diner, where they ordered half the menu to split. A long drive along the coast followed that until Lucifer noted that he needed a nap. They bought tickets for a double-feature of Trixie's choosing. Through both the 80s throwback slasher and the action-packed spy film, Lucifer put his shades down and kicked his feet up for a snooze while Trixie watched in awe. By Trixie's request, their next stop was the pier. They didn't talk anything serious throughout their day together as it was the last thing they wanted to do.

Lucifer kept his head back with his eyes closed, enjoying the sun as he spoke out. "So, are you going to tell me why you're avoiding Dan or not?" The Ferris wheel moved the cabins up to the next level before stopping for the next passengers below, and Lucifer popped his head up, gesturing for the popcorn.

"Because my dad sucks." She handed over the popcorn, avoiding Lucifer's eyes. He pulled out his flask to cheers her from a distance.

"I couldn't agree with you more." The whiskey poured down his throat, mixing well with the few kernels of kettle corn, as he thought of his own father.

She took a deep breath and looked down at her feet, letting her frustration take over. "There's this father-daughter dance tonight at my school. It's stupid, but all the girls at my school go. Everyone knows this is the biggest thing to go to before prom. It's like a rite of passage, and now I'm not going. I couldn't even face my friends today and see the look on their faces."

Lucifer shrugged, popping a few more pieces of popcorn into his mouth. "It's just a dance."

Trixie shook her head slowly as she began to pick at the blue nail polish on her fingertips. "It's not just about the dance. Ever since Charlotte- you know- he's been different. He doesn't make the same time for me anymore, not like how it used to be. And even when we are together, he's not- he's not there." They moved up one more level, and Lucifer felt the unsteadiness in each swing of the cabin. There was a sadness in her eyes that made Lucifer stop eating, and he went to offer her his flask, but quickly stopped mid-reach remembering the drinking laws for humans.

They were now at the apex of the wheel, and Trixie ignored Lucifer's adjustments as she looked out over the ocean. "He's been working more than he used to. Mom says that it's his way of healing, but I don't know if it's working. I know what my parents do is not an easy job. It's even scary sometimes. They're saving lives, they're protecting people, so I don't ask for much, because they're already doing enough. But I asked for this one thing. All I wanted was to go to this dance with my dad. All I wanted was for my dad to show up, and I can't even get that. I feel like I used to know how important I was to him, and now, I don't know. Maybe this is the new normal."

Lucifer leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his lap as Trixie pulled the popcorn back to her side of the cabin. "Your father can't take a decent joke. He has some of the most boring stories I've ever heard. He is absolutely horrible when it comes to picking up women. I'm honestly surprised he still has a job with his case closing rate." Lucifer laughed to himself as he picked apart all of Dan's flaws, but the questionable look on Trixie's face made him stop. "But that's not the point. The point is, if there is one thing that I can be certain about when it comes to your father, it's how much he cares about you. All children expect their fathers to always be there for them- to protect, to pick up the pieces, to just support you. You expect to be their world, but what a lot of people forget is that they're their own person, too. They are dealing with their own mistakes, hardships. They're human. So, maybe right now, your dad isn't his best self, but that doesn't mean you should give up on him. He's just trying to do his best."

Lucifer leaned back, craving his flask once more. "Unlike my father." He unscrewed the top and took a small sip, crossing one leg over the other. Trixie's smile was small and weak as she appreciated his words of wisdom. It still wasn't enough to rid of the hurt she felt; the hurt that would still take time to work out of her system. They moved down one level in the wheel, and screams echoed in the distance from the coaster below them.

With one arm propped up on the back of the cabin, Lucifer looked over his shoulder at the beach that stretched alongside the ocean. Some of the words he spoke to Trixie stung as they were true to his current situation. He was used to focusing on how he was wronged, punished, and deserted for acting out, but he never once thought about his own father. How his father could have seen his son's acts as betrayal and failure. Lucifer shook his head, trying to get out of any attempt to put himself in his father's shoes. He had so many questions, and there was only one way to get it. He knew he had to speak with his father.

Lucifer begrudgingly rolled his eyes, knowing it was the right thing to do. He spoke out loud to himself, "You know, this whole growing up ordeal is quite annoying." He knew Linda would be proud of this step. He knew Chloe would be proud. But he also knew how talking to his dad was the last thing he wanted to do.

Trixie nodded, shoving a handful of kettle corn into her mouth. "Tell me about it."

He continued to tell himself, "tomorrow," in his head. He could deal with the simmering hate and hurt he was feeling for his father since his arrival tomorrow. Lucifer looked across the cabin at Trixie, who still sat small and somber. The wheel began to move at full speed, and a heavy breeze caught Trixie's attention as she looked up at the moving parts with a small laugh of excitement. As they reached the top once more, Lucifer spoke out to grab her attention.

"I'll tell you what. If you still want to go to this dance, I'd be happy to escort you." It was hard for him to get his sentence out clearly as he kept choking on his words. Trixie grabbed her seat tightly as her body sprung up like a coil.

Her face was shining brighter than the sun, and Lucifer winced at her overjoyed excitement. "Really? Wait, is my mom putting you up to this?"

Lucifer popped his sunglasses down to his face as he got more comfortable on his side of the cabin. "No. Just thinking of the face, your dad will make when he hears I'm taking you is just the thing I need to cheer me up."

* * *

"It should be easy enough." Maze studied the photo of Junior Garcia, or Che has his followers know him by. Chloe set up shop in one of the conference rooms to finish the final pieces of the Mayor's case. Ella awkwardly lingered in the back, waiting for her turn with Chloe and scrolled through her tablet. Maze plucked the photo of Che down from the whiteboard and folded it into a small square for her back pocket. "Maybe I'll get my flail out. I haven't used that in a while." The end of her tongue lightly teased her own upper lip as she became aroused at the thought of whipping the medieval weapon around.

Since Chloe had come to full terms with living among celestials, she had become more understanding and more lenient of both Lucifer and Maze's behaviors. There was no doubt in her mind that Maze could take care of herself, and there were no longer any questions in her choice in tactics. "As long as you bring the guy back in one piece." Ella's eyes darted up from her digital screen at the conversation before her. At first, she thought Maze was joking about the weapon, but Chloe's response shocked her most of all. Chloe caught Ella's reaction from the corner of her eye, and she grabbed Maze by the elbow, dragging her farther away. They stood at the glass doors, and Maze began to crack her knuckles in excitement for the hunt.

"Decker, you don't know how bad I needed this." Maze had come into the precinct tense and wound-up, waiting to throw a punch or two.

Chloe looked over her shoulder to see how distracted Ella was, and she kept her voice low, over-pronouncing for Maze to read her lips. "What happened last night?"

Maze looked back at Ella, who now turned toward the conference room windows as she wandered in small, slow circles reading her screen. "I was ready to fight, I think we all were, but Lucifer didn't want to. You know who screamed and pouted, blabbering about war, and then he was gone."

Chloe darted her eyes up with a mix of pride and fear. "So, you don't know where he is? Are you sure you want to spend your time looking for this guy when he's still out there?"

"I'm not too worried about it now that Daddy's in town." Maze widened her eyes dully, making fun of the big man upstairs, finally coming down to play.

"Maze, what's he like?" There was wonderment in Chloe's eyes that Maze recognized, and she developed her coldest face.

"He's a total dick." Chloe pursed her lips, nodding her head along to Maze's words.

She had known her friend for some time and could easily translate her evaluation of God himself. "So, he's really nice?"

Maze rolled her eyes, giving in to her soft interior. "He's whatever." Chloe watched Maze struggle with not wanting to sympathize with the man her friend had hated his entire life. She began to grow more uncomfortable as Chloe continued to watch her, and she reached for the door, wanting to leave the conversation.

"Maze, please be careful."

"What fun would that be?"

Chloe took in a deep breath before transitioning her focus to Ella as Maze walked deeper into the precinct. "I'm sorry about that. What did you need help with?"

Ella awkwardly fidgeted with her tablet, not knowing how to bring up her question. "Oh, it's not that big of a deal. I was just wondering- well-" She looked to the whiteboard that was packed with crime scene photos, suspects, and documents. "Maybe this is a bad time." Chloe brought her hands to her hips and raised her eyebrows, waiting for Ella to spit out whatever she was avoiding. "It's just, I haven't heard from Michael since last night. He's not answering my texts or phone calls. I'm worried Lucifer said something to scare him off. Have you talked to him at all? Did he say anything about last night?"

"Oh, um-" Chloe didn't know what to say as she looked into Ella's eyes, so round and filled with fear, worry, and doubt. "I'm sure he's just busy. I haven't had the opportunity to really talk with Lucifer about last night, but I can ask how it went. Knowing Lucifer, it was probably a lot of drinking." Ella's shoulders relaxed with a sigh of relief after Chloe spoke, and she tucked her tablet beneath her arm, hovering in her spot.

"What did you think of him? I know you didn't get a lot of time to get to know him, but first impressions?" Her smile was wide and hopeful as she waited for Chloe to put her words together.

"You know, he was- I think he- um, he had this-" Chloe didn't like lying to her friend, but it was for her own good at this point, she told herself. She wanted to tell her everything but knew she couldn't do that without Lucifer.

Ella couldn't wait any longer and blurted out, "I know! It's so hard to put into words how great he is."

Chloe quickly nodded along and released a high-pitched, "mmhmm." Ella squeezed her tablet tightly to her chest, relieved her friend saw the same man like her, and she dropped her voice back down to normal.

"Good. It's been a while since I felt this serious about someone, and I forgot how nice it is, you know?" Ella had a small skip in her step as she made her way back to her lab, and Chloe felt for the conference table to stabilize herself. She felt a burning ball turn inside of her and scorch through her veins, and Chloe gripped the table harder, feeling a buzzing sensation work down her arm and through her fingertips. She tensed her shoulders to stop the sensation from working its way through her body in full. The hate she felt for Michael grew to another level seeing his effect on Ella and knowing the heartbreak that would follow.

"Chloe!" She quickly turned around as Dan stormed into the conference room, looking down at his phone. Chloe widened in her eyes, wondering why she didn't just leave the conference door open as everyone needed her today. She felt like a pinball banging from one side to another every time someone asked for her. "I just called the school to let them know I wasn't picking Trixie up anymore. They told me her father already called her out of school today. Do you know anything about this?"

She closed her eyes, dropping her chin down to her chest in defeat. "Lucifer."

"Son of a bitch." Dan huffed out a hot, mean breath. "I'll put the tracker on her phone and find out where they are and pick her up. I can't believe he would do this again." As much as Chloe was annoyed at Lucifer for taking her daughter out of school, she was nowhere near Dan's temper. Her hand raised to stop him from searching the tracker app on his phone.

"Dan, stop. I'll call him and get this figured out. By looking at the time, she would only have one more period anyway, so what's the point?"

"What's the point? The point is he took our daughter without our permission. It's not his decision when she can be taken out of school. He is one of the most irresponsible people I know. Why do you keep defending him when he does stuff like this?" Dan spoke with his hands pointing hard in the air, demonstrating how irritated he was.

"I'm not defending him. We will share words, trust me on that. I just know he's going through some stuff right now, and maybe he needed a distraction. And, Dan, you didn't see her this morning. She was really upset. Maybe they both needed this."

Dan scoffed, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "So, Trixie gets upset, and that makes it okay for Lucifer just to take her? And of course, he'll do whatever she wants because somehow it will work in his favor." She was growing sick of Dan's negativity and his behavior toward Lucifer. Dan had started meeting with Linda, and she felt like there was progress being made, but since Lucifer had returned, Dan was resorting back to blaming everything on him.

"Dan, do you think that maybe Lucifer isn't the one you're mad at."

"What is that supposed to mean?" His face was growing redder as he waited for Chloe to respond.

"Maybe you're mad because she's willing to spend her time with Lucifer and not you. You know why she's upset right now, and it has nothing to do with him. Maybe you should focus less on Lucifer and more on how you're going to fix things with your daughter. You haven't been to Taco Tuesday in, I don't know how long. I ask her what exciting things you guys do on your weekends, and she tells me nothing- laying around the house, barely talking. When was the last time you took her out to dinner or a movie, or I don't know, had a real conversation about what is happening in her life? I know you are going through some stuff right now, and if taking on this responsibility is too much for you, you need to talk to me. I am here to help you, and we can talk to Trixie together as a team. But I am not going to keep setting her up for disappointment because, Dan, we both know that's not going to help. She misses her dad."

The red faded from his face, and his body sank as he looked down at the tile flooring. His hand rubbed his chin, not knowing how to respond. "You're right."

Chloe was quickly interrupted and brought out of her reality as the muscles tensed down her back, and a chilling prickle made the hair on her arms stand. She had the feeling like someone was watching her, and she slowly moved her head to face the glass wall. As if time were moving slowly, she looked up past the tables and wall dividers. Between the quick movements of officers and detectives stood a large, dark-skinned man watching her from a distance. She didn't recognize him and tried to lean her head closer to have a better view. Two officers passed one another from opposite directions in front of the man, and as the officers parted, the man disappeared as well.

Dan's voice was low and muffled when he continued speaking out to her as she continued to search around the precinct for any sign of the man. Dan's hand lightly touched her shoulder, and she gasped, feeling her feet grounded on the floor once more. "Chloe, are you alright?"

She shook her head to remove the jitters that still loomed across her skin, and she forced a smile in Dan's direction. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, what were you saying?" Chloe tried to relax and continued listening to Dan. But for the rest of the day, her body remained tense as she felt eyes watching her; eyes that she could no longer find.

* * *

The school gymnasium was transformed that afternoon to hide the racks filled with basketballs and the natural stench of BO. that lingered in the air. The DJ's lights accented the shimmering silver streamers that hung from above, and the centerpieces of black and red balloons shined on the sea of round tables around the dance floor. Lucifer and Trixie sat at a table and watched newcomers enter the gym beneath a grand balloon arch of white. The longer they sat there, the more disgusted Lucifer became.

The DJ sat back in his chair, scrolling through his phone without a care in the world. Most of the fathers joined together on the pulled out bleachers as their daughters sat on the opposite said of the gym. The young girls were either gossiping in their cliques or posing for a mediocre photoshoot. Some father-daughter pairs were scattered across the tables, siloed from the rest of the party. Trixie looked amazed by the scene before her as her eyes scanned up and around the gymnasium. Her eyes sparkled as the lights moved around her, and a small group of girls gave Trixie a wave from a distance.

"This is just sad."

Trixie jerked her head over to Lucifer. "What do you mean? This is so cool."

He pointed his free hand around the gym, pointing out the dead space in the middle. "Dads are there. Children are over there—no one's dancing. The DJ just put on Carly Ray Jepsen. It smells like an old jockstrap in here. At least there's cake." Lucifer dug his fork into a piece of cake provided by the school, and as the marble swirls touched his tongue, he scrunched his face together, feeling the texture break down in his mouth.

Trixie bit her tongue, trying not to laugh at Lucifer's reaction as she spoke out, "I think it's gluten-free."

He rolled his eyes, pushing the cake deeper into the center of the table, and he downed the rest of his fruit punch. "I don't think your dad is missing out on much here."

Trixie smoothed out her black velvet dress as she watched some girls sway to the current song while they scrolled on their phones. "These are what dances are like. You get to hang out with your friends, take a bunch of pictures, and the dads can just talk about whatever adults talk about. No one actually dances at these things."

A father pulled his daughter to the dance floor in their coordinating blue colors, and Lucifer pointed his open palm to the duo to prove Trixie wrong. The little blonde girl looked completely embarrassed as her dad swayed dramatically offbeat in front of her. The man with a receding hairline seemed to be enjoying himself, not caring how foolish he looked for his daughter. She turned red, looking over her shoulder back to her friends as her dad changed his dancing into the robot. The girl in the blue dress quickly ran off the dance floor back to her table as her father threw his hands up in defeat. "Come on, honey. We were having fun!"

Trixie folded her arms with a smug look on her face as she turned back to Lucifer. He quickly scanned the gym to find some of the piranhas laughing with their phones up as their dads continued to sit clueless on the bleachers. "That was a disaster."

"See? No one dances." A small group of girls from a table across the gym caught Trixie's attention, and she raised a finger in their direction, needing more time. "I think I'm going to go say hi to my friends. I'll be back soon." Lucifer slowly nodded, watching her leave his side. He pulled out his flask for a quick sip watching Trixie twirl in her dress for her friends, and his eyes drew back to the DJ. As an idea came to mind, Lucifer stood to button his suit jacket and walked with a purpose to the bored college student trying to make some extra money as a DJ.

Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets and produced his best charming, devilish grin. "Hello."

The young man did not look up from his phone as Lucifer spoke, and he smacked his gum loudly. "Let me guess; you want to request 'My Girl.'" Lucifer's grin vanished at the attitude in the DJ's voice, and he walked behind the table to get a better look at the laptop set up. The kid double looked up in shock as Lucifer began tampering with the playlist. "Dude, what are you doing?"

"It looks like I'm doing your job for you, _dude_. Seriously, no Kinks, Stevie Wonder, Beatles, not even Sinatra? Oh, but you have back-to-back Bieber songs? No wonder this place is dead. It's very fortunate for you that I am here tonight. I can fix this."

A light finger tapping on the head of the microphone pulled everyone's attention up and around to the speakers of the gymnasium. "Can a Trixie Espinoza please make her way to the center of the dance floor?" Trixie turned around slowly at the sound of Lucifer's voice booming over the speaker. She shook her head in quick movements, wanting the embarrassment to stop. Lucifer smiled brightly back at her as he recognized the same face of annoyance from her mother. He continued to motion her closer, and Trixie continued to stand her ground. Lucifer brought the mic closer to his mouth, "I will start singing. I don't care."

Trixie crossed her arms tightly across her chest and quickly made her way to the dance floor. Lucifer put the microphone down and patted the DJ on the back, who waited at the ready above his laptop. Lucifer made his way to Trixie and held his hand out for her to take it. Trixie whispered out low and urgent, "What are you doing?"

"We're going to dance."

Trixie looked around her as eyes were glued onto the two standing in the middle of the dance floor. "People are watching. I told you no one dances."

"Yes, I heard you, but these people are idiots. They're missing out on the fun, now come on."

Trixie tried to hide the smile that broke through her stern, tight lips, and she nervously played with her hands. "I don't really dance. Not like this."

"Your mother said the same thing and now look at her." Trixie smiled a little brighter as she put her small hand into his. Lucifer looked over his shoulder and gave a slight nod to the DJ, who clicked play on the playlist Lucifer created for the past ten minutes. "This Will Be Our Year" by The Zombies faded in over the speakers, and Trixie excitedly looked down at their feet.

"Okay, this will be a simple-"

Trixie looked up, interrupting him eagerly. "Can I put my feet on yours, and you just dance?" She had seen kids do that in the movies and always thought of doing that when the opportunity presented itself.

"These are Italian leather, what do you think? Now, pay attention." He sidestepped and touched his feet together, and she followed. It was a simple two-step, but it was enough to make her feel like she was gliding across a ballroom floor. "There you go." Once she got the hang of the move for long enough, Lucifer opened his arm to spin her slowly, and she swooped under his arm giggling, and their hands met once more. She continued to look down at their feet, following his lead, ignoring the other fathers and daughters linking arms on the dance floor, trying their own version of a dance.

More fathers took their daughters down to the floor when they recognized Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness." Lucifer looked down at Trixie, and the smile that recently lived on her face faded away. "What's wrong?"

A fake, forced smile quickly appeared when she felt Lucifer's eyes on her. "Nothing. I had a fun day today. I didn't think I was going to be able to come to this, and here I am. And I'm learning how to dance right now. I got what I wanted." The words that left her mouth sounded like all positive things, but her facial expression continued to look conflicted.

Lucifer pressed her to speak more. "But…"

"But I just miss my dad. I thought if I could just avoid him, it would make things easier."

"What about not wanting to see him, hating him?" He was confused by her sudden change of heart and couldn't understand how easy it was to make that simple of a flip in thought.

"I thought I could, but I can't hate him. He's my dad. He always used to tell me that I was made from love, and because there's so much inside of me, there would never be enough room for hate. At the time, he was just trying to get me to eat brussels sprouts- I hate those things- but it stuck with me." She sighed, looking back down to their moving feet. "I'm so happy you brought me here, but it just feels wrong without my dad."

Trixie sniffled back the small tears that began to form, and she broke her hand out of his, driving her arms around his torso. She held onto him tightly as their two-step turned into a small sway, and she squeezed her eyes shut to prevent any tears from traveling down her cheeks. "After this song, can you take me home?"

* * *

There was a single glow of light that lit Chloe's home. The fireplace crackled, and she felt the subtle heat from the flames on her face as she curled up on her couch. Her hand expanded to hold the large wine glass between her fingers, and she sipped the red wine, letting the rich flavor linger on her lips. She tried to shrug off the feeling that still slivered under her skin. There was a familiarity to the man she saw earlier that day, but he was just a stranger. There was a mix of unease and comfort when their eyes met, and Chloe began to ignore the feeling in her gut that told her exactly who that man was.

She was thrown out of her thoughts when the side door opened, and she recognized the quiet voices inching closer to her. Chloe released a sharp breath, preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have with Lucifer, and she rose to her feet, placing her wine glass down. As she turned with arms folded against her chest, her cold face soon turned awestruck by the sight of her daughter in a black velvet dress. A dress they both thought would be hidden in her closet for longer than it wanted.

"Mom!" Trixie wore a small, hopeful smile on her lips as she walked deeper into the living room. Lucifer straggled behind, slowing his pace to a stop, and he kept his distance from the mother-daughter encounter. "I know you're probably mad at me, and I totally deserve it." Chloe raised her brows in surprise at the sudden act of maturity from her daughter. She had gotten used to the ticking time bomb of puberty that took over her daughter and didn't know what to expect from her anymore, but this was the last thing she saw coming. "I know the difference between right and wrong, but even though skipping school was wrong, it just felt right for today. And I had time to think." Chloe relaxed her arms down to her sides, leaning against the couch's arm to meet her daughter's eye level.

"Even though Dad doesn't always show it or say it, he's going through something bad, and it doesn't help to turn my back on him. It was just a dance; I shouldn't have been so hard on him." Chloe slowly shook her head and cupped her hands around her daughter's shoulders.

"Honey, if you feel something, then feel it. Don't push it away or think your feelings aren't important for someone else's expense. You wanted your dad to be there, and that's okay."

Trixie smiled into the corner of her lips, but it was apparent she was still feeling guilty. "I think I just want to call dad, and if it's okay with you, I think I want to ask him to come get me tomorrow. It's our weekend together."

Chloe smiled proudly at her daughter and ignored the stinging sensation in her eyes. "I think he'd like that."

Trixie began to walk back to her room slowly, but stopped, turning to Lucifer, who leaned against the kitchen counter. "Thanks, Lucifer." He bowed his head in her direction and watched her disappear into her room, sliding the barn door closed behind her. Lucifer hid his hands in his pockets as he slowly made his way across the room to Chloe. He was prepared for a scolding, and he patiently waited.

"You took her to the dance?" Her voice was shaky, and she tried her best to focus on the frustration she felt earlier towards him, but it was no use. She tightly sucked her lips in, trying to prevent the stinging in her eyes from forming real tears. Chloe relaxed her shoulders and gave up on trying to look mad. "How am I supposed to be mad at you when you do something like that?"

Lucifer perked up, watching Chloe make her way back to the couch to pour herself another glass of wine. "Noted." He followed with a tight-lipped grin, relieved that Chloe was more forgiving of his actions tonight. He gripped the wine bottle by its neck and sat beside her on the couch, watching the flames roar.

She curled her legs in and watched the fire glow off the side of his face. "Did avoiding your father today help?"

With a simple pull of the bow beneath his chin, his bow tie came undone, and the black silk fabric lazily fell around his collarbone. "I know I'm supposed to say no, but it did. The little one, she's surprisingly bright."

Chloe nodded, allowing herself some time to swallow after a sip from her glass. "Yeah, she gets that from me." Lucifer raised the brim of the bottle to his lips, and he stopped to release a soft chuckle before taking a sip.

There was a long pause as they sat in comfortable silence, listening to the fireplace. Lucifer instinctively scratched away at the label on the bottle, falling deeper into his thoughts. Chloe laid her hand on his forearm, bringing him back to the present. She could tell by the look in his eyes, he was going somewhere dark, and she whispered out, "Hey, talk to me."

He cleared his throat, taking another swig from the bottle, absorbing any liquid courage he could. "I thought I knew what family was, and from where I stood, it wasn't great. My brothers and my sisters always pitted against one another- everyone fighting for my father's attention. We tolerated each other; I guess that's the best way to put it. It was exhausting. It's exhausting just thinking back to those days, so I don't know why it was a surprise to everyone when I gave up the fight, and I just started doing what I wanted. It was simple. The things my siblings did to grab his attention- and at the end of the day, dad didn't care. And mum, well, she was busy setting out her own revenge against him. The more I showed how much I didn't care, well, that really got his attention, and then soon, all eyes were on me. For the first time, my siblings agreed on something, that I was the rebel; I was toxic. But, you see, I don't blame them. We were created to always be different, to challenge one another, to follow the leader constantly. I always believed that I was the bad guy in my family, but now that I'm really looking at it, at them, I don't know if that's true anymore."

He paused, watching the fire's blaze intensify as one log collapsed into another. "Your daughter, she said something- she said that she was made from love and I wish I could say the same for me. I wasn't created out of love. I was made as an experiment, as a project- to be a bloody disciple. What I wanted from him, what all my siblings wanted, we would never get that because he never saw us the way we saw him. There was never love there with my mum and dad; only duty."

"Lucifer, that's not true. When you told me about your mom, when she was here, the things she did- she cared for you. She loved you." Chloe leaned her head to the side to try to grab his attention back to her, but his eyes stayed focused on the fire.

"Did she? She used me and manipulated me to get what she wanted. It was always about what she wanted. My mum just knew I was the key. That's not love." He lifted the base of the bottle to finish it off and wiped away any existing drops on his lips with the back of his hand. "It wasn't until I met you that I-" Lucifer repositioned himself to face Chloe on the couch, and she watched as his mind began piecing things together. She placed her glass down onto the coffee table, trying to be as present as she could for him. He was never a man who spoke freely of his feelings and thoughts, but tonight everything was flowing out.

"I know what my parents felt for me, what they gave me, it wasn't love. So, how can I expect him to treat me the way I've always wanted to be treated when he was always incapable of doing that. I spent so much time wanting something that was never there, to begin with. It took me eons to feel what _that_ was really like. And once you feel it, you know you've never had it before." His mouth curved up at the end into a small, reminiscent smile, and his face finally relaxed from its tense, reflective state.

"It wasn't until I met you that I knew what real love looked like. The way you care for your little one, the way you make me feel, the way I feel about you- that's it. And all of the things that I held onto for so long in my past, they now seem so small because this is what matters." He moved his hand between them as if he were running his hand along an invisible string that tied them together. Her shoulders relaxed, and a familiar stinging sensation burned around her eyes as she watched Lucifer stare at her with such clarity.

"Chloe, I love you."

Her lips trembled out into a brighter smile, and her vision blurred into the sight of watercolors as her eyes flooding with tears. Chloe quickly cupped his face, kissing him slowly and intimately.

She recognized the burning feeling that churned in her stomach and felt it work its way down her spine, through his legs. Something scorched through her veins and down her arms as she moved her hands to his neck. It felt like her skin was steaming and radiating a heat she had felt before with him, but she always had pushed it away. The fiery sensation finally settled in her chest, and the walls she held up for so long came crumbling down. Her heart felt light and open. She was ignited.

Lucifer released his lips from hers to catch his breath, and as his eyes slowly opened, he jolted his body back away from her. His eyes widened in fear, shock, and awe staring at the detective before him. "Lucifer, what's wrong?" Chloe held her hand out to calm him, and she released a sharp gasp at the sight of her hand midair.

A thin layer of white light glowed off of her skin. Similar to a sun's rays bursting through a cloud to shine, her entire body emitted a brilliant, comforting light. "What's happening to me?"


	9. A Walking Nightlight

The sun was slowly showing itself over the LA skyline, and small streams of light crawled across Lucifer's penthouse suite. Chloe squeezed her red bomber jacket tight around her body feeling her nerves shiver down the tops of her skin. Lucifer tapped the end of his burning cigarette into the crystal ashtray sitting on top of the piano, and he listened to the noise coming from his brother. The angel's voice echoed out over the morning silence, berating the Devil for not responding to his calls or texts over their father. Linda slowly pushed and pulled on the stroller with a sleeping Charlie inside as Amenadiel's sharp tongue snapped out his frustrations with no response from his brother.

Lucifer listened but retained nothing. He glanced over his shoulder, sharing a long and silent glance with Chloe, who kept her distance from everyone. She seemed removed from her current reality as she turned to stare off over the balcony.

The elevator doors parted, and Maze meandered into the suite, wearing the same outfit from the night before. "I could hear you from downstairs. What's got your panties in a twist now?" She wiggled a finger in one ear to remove the piercing ringing from the angel's voice. Amenadiel huffed out an irritated breath as he realized no one was taking him or his words seriously.

"Luci, what do you have to say for yourself?" The Devil pulled his attention away from Chloe and looked back to Amenadiel, balancing a cigarette between his pointer and middle finger, only inches away from his lips.

"Did you say something, brother?"

Amenadiel's nostrils flared as his chest puffed out, but it was Linda's hand that rested on his arm that calmed the angel down. Maze made her way to the stroller, popping her head over the small opening to see Charlie sleeping peacefully. She straightened the blanket and tucked one side deeper into his torso for optimal comfort.

Linda swatted the smells that lingered around her friend. "Maze, you smell like a distillery."

"Sorry." Maze lifted an arm to her nose for a good sniff. "I was out celebrating the fat check I got for Che and then next thing I know-" Linda cocked an eyebrow, intrigued by Maze's night- knowing where this conversation was headed.

"Who is she?"

"They. Give enough tequila to a sorority girl, and their bi-curiosity goes through the roof. I was in a giving mood last night and, well, let's just say the sisters of Theta Kappa Gamma are no longer curious." Linda chuckled low, shaking her head, and Maze looked over across the suite to Chloe standing alone. "Hope you weren't waiting up for me last night, Decker."

"Enough." Amenadiel was not in the mood of Maze's jokes and knew Lucifer wasn't either by the look on his brother's face. "Luci, you asked all of us to be here, and we're here. You know, like a good friend or brother would do?" Amenadiel folded his arms as his eyes grew more intense on Lucifer, who took a long drag from his cigarette, not phased by his brother's comment. He parted his lips in the corner of his mouth to release a stream of smoke as he looked back to Chloe.

"Something happened last night, and we don't know what to make of it."

Amenadiel looked over to Chloe as she turned around back to the group. By Lucifer's tone and Chloe's impassive, cold appearance, he knew whatever happened last night was worth pushing aside the current frustrations he felt for his brother. "What happened?"

Lucifer opened his mouth to speak, but Chloe spoke for him. "It would be easier just to show you." The Devil presented his hand out to draw their attention to Chloe. They all patiently waited near the bar, squinting their eyes at Chloe from across the suite. She closed her eyes tightly and spread her fingers wide, forcing tense energy to work its way through her body. Amenadiel, Linda, and Maze leaned their heads closer to their show, waiting for something to happen.

Her fingers began to ache from their stiff position, and she popped one eye open to see if the light that glowed around her the night before came through. Chloe dropped her shoulders, defeated, and looked back up to Lucifer, confused. "Why isn't it working?"

Maze scrunched up her nose as she spoke out, "Why isn't what working?"

Lucifer extinguished his cigarette into the ashtray as he cocked his head, not understanding the sight before him. He ignored the voice behind him and continued to focus on his detective. "I don't know. Last night you- I mean, we were both there."

"She what?" Maze spoke up, trying to make sense of this morning.

Lucifer looked over his shoulder to the group behind him and held up a finger for them to wait. "Trust me, you'll see."

Maze rolled her eyes as she spoke out with a dry voice, "It would help if we knew what we were looking for."

Amenadiel leaned back onto the bar, losing the small glimmer of hope he had for his brother's pressing news. "Lucifer, we don't have time for this. We not only have to find Michael, we now have to find father."

Linda ignored the skeptics that surrounded her and focused her attention on the exchange of looks between Chloe and Lucifer. Whatever this was, it was serious. His concerned eyes met the detective's eyes, filled with doubt. Chloe dropped her head to stare at her open palms, and they slowly closed into fists. Linda stepped forward, trying to be the voice of reason. "Okay. So, something happened last night. Was it brought on by someone at work, or maybe you saw something that shocked you? It may help to walk us through the night."

Lucifer spun around on his heels and snapped a finger in Linda's direction. "Yes. Thank you, Doctor!" He turned back to Chloe, who widened her eyes on Lucifer. "We just need to recreate last night." Her eyes darted to the group staring at her curiously and back to the Devil across the room.

Chloe's voice cracked out a high-pitched, "are you sure?"

Lucifer began to rub his hands together, and Chloe took in a deep breath, hoping this would do the trick. She watched the flash of vulnerability in his eyes, and her shoulders began to relax as a coy smile crossed his lips. "Chloe…" He hesitated, swallowing hard, and she encouraged him to continue with a small nod. "... I love you."

Powerful, hot energy surged through her body and out of her fingertips. The familiar fiery sensation hummed through her veins, and her skin began to feel tight and dry. Chloe knew the white light returned by the look on Lucifer's face. He stared at her with such joy and beauty, and she watched him quickly blink away the tears that began to take over his eyes.

Lucifer turned around to see everyone's reaction, and he leaned back against his piano, patiently waiting for everyone to make sense of what was before them. Amenadiel slowly pushed his body off of the bar, and his arms dropped to his sides. His eyes scanned Chloe's entire body, finding a pure, warm light radiating off of every inch of her skin. The angel's lips trembled open in awe, and he was speechless.

Linda silently gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth in shock. The hand that covered her mouth slowly made its way down over her heart. Lucifer watched his therapist's lips form words, but nothing came out. Maze slowly stepped forward with an eager smile, utterly amazed by her friend. She whispered out a calm and relaxed reaction, "Awesome."

Chloe's arms crossed over one another tightly against her ribcage as she looked down to the floor. When she was young, her mother would throw her into all acting auditions where she would be picked apart by the casting directors. She was too short, too tall; too young, too old; she was too skinny, not skinny enough; she was too cold; her smile was too intense. Chloe didn't get the full public school experience growing up, but she thought what her mom put her through was close enough, and she grew a thick skin because of it. Once she landed a role that opened doors into Hollywood, paparazzi followed her everywhere. All eyes were on her as she managed to work her way up in the precinct. Throughout her life, she was used to being watched, judged, and followed; but this was different.

All of her friends' eyes were on her, and she never felt more uncomfortable. This is what caged animals in a zoo must feel like; she thought to herself. Linda's voice finally came to as she croaked out, "Oh my God."

Lucifer became agitated at Linda's words, and he began to pace slowly. "Yes, I presume he's the culprit to this."

"Maze, don't." Lucifer jerked his head in the detective's direction at the sound of her shaky plea. Like a moth to a flame, Maze was growing closer to Chloe, entirely enthralled by the glowing light. Chloe warningly held up a hand and took a step back to keep her distance. Neither Chloe nor Lucifer knew the extent of this discovery or the harm it could cause.

Maze began to circle Chloe, maintaining a comfortable distance. "I want to touch it."

Lucifer winced weakly at his demon's tone of voice. "All of my friends- I don't understand how this happened. Am I the normal person here?" Linda's eyes searched the suite, thinking back to how her life changed since Lucifer walked into her office.

Amenadiel cocked his head to the side as he mentally reviewed all the celestials he knew of and their powers, but he was coming up blank. "What is she?"

Lucifer snapped his head back to his brother, infuriated by all of his friends' remarks. They were talking about her as if she were some unknown creature, dismissing the person they all knew her to be. He began to think asking for their help was a bad idea. "Doctor, may I remind you that you gave birth to him. There's nothing normal about that." Linda fixed her glasses, looking down at her son as Lucifer turned his attention to his brother. "She's the detective. She's Chloe. She's the same as she's always been."

Maze continued to pace around Chloe slowly and released a sarcastic scoff, "Clearly." Positioning herself in front of Chloe, Maze leaned her head in, looking closer at the light. "So, how do you shut this thing off?"

Chloe looked down at her hands and slowly wiggled her fingers, watching the light flow between the gaps. "Um, hold on. I got it to work last night." Chloe closed her eyes and rolled her head back as she went deeper into her mind. She thought of her unknown powers, how she could accidentally hurt Trixie. Like someone flipping a switch, the light dimmed and quickly, was no more. She rolled her shoulders back, trying to release any unwanted energy snapping under her skin, and her eyes opened once more.

Chloe scanned the room, watching everyone's faces still stuck in shock and awe. Her eyes landed on Lucifer, who returned a small, comforting smile. He was impressed with how well she was holding herself together and managing to control whatever was happening to her. The silence that lingered in the suite made Chloe uncomfortable, and she waited for someone to speak, but no one knew what to say.

"Listen, we don't know what's happening to me. That's why we called you all here because someone has to know something, or we can at least figure this out together. I mean, we have the Devil, an Angel, one of the smartest human beings I've ever met, a demon."

Maze's eyes continued to scan up and down Chloe's body, and she added to Chloe's list of people in the room. "And now, a walking nightlight."

"Yes, thank you, Maze. My point is-"

Amenadiel lifted a finger, pointing to the detective repeatedly as he walked deeper into the suite, interrupting her. "You're light."

Lucifer skeptically watched his brother trying to sound philosophical. "Yes, brother. I think we already established that."

"No. I've seen this type of light before, I just don't-" The angel concentrated hard as he searched deeper into his memories. His eyes stopped on Chloe, and Amenadiel quickly turned on his heels to face his brother. His face grew light as he smiled, and he released a single laugh. "You did this."

Lucifer took a step back, pointing into his chest, threatened by the accusation. "I did this? I would never- I wouldn't even know how. Isn't it obvious who's behind this? Father's in town, and all of a sudden this is happening to the detective?"

"We've both seen this type of light before. The Lightbringer has seen this light before. Luci, this isn't a bad thing. It makes sense."

Lucifer waved his finger at his brother, disregarding the theory. He quickly turned around and headed behind the bar to unscrew a bottle of whiskey with just a flick of his thumb. "No. That was different, and it happened a long time ago. It's not even here anymore."

"Lucifer, what is he talking about?" Chloe walked closer to the piano, and Maze followed behind her, watching for any last sparks of light.

"He's talking about Azarel's blade. My Lightbringer duties are over. I shoved mum off into another dimension along with the blade."

"Luci, when you ignited that blade, you were in pain; you were feeling something dark, but you were the only one who could do it. Last night, something happened between you two. You obviously were feeling something strongly enough that you ignited her. Your touch, your words- the Lightbringer brought out the light in her." Lucifer refused to look his brother in the eyes, and he tried to steady his hand as the whiskey glass met his lips. He thought of the three words he could never say before, the kiss that followed it, and then he felt a familiar hate linger in his chest for his father, who constructed all of this.

"Well, can he just unignite her?" Linda made a small spinning gesture with her hands as she tried to contribute to something out of her realm.

Amenadiel glanced back over his shoulder to her with a weak smile. "I don't know."

Chloe's voice was small and soft as she spoke out from behind the piano. "Am I a weapon?"

Amenadiel slowly turned his head in her direction, noticing the fear and concern on her face. "I don't know."

Maze cracked her knuckles, awkwardly swaying behind the group. "I hate to be the one to bring this up, but if this was always a part of the plan, then maybe your mom was right. Chloe was placed here to…" Both Linda and Amenadiel warningly shook their heads in Maze's direction, hoping she wouldn't finish the sentence. "... manipulate Lucifer's feelings."

Amenadiel lifted his hands to steady the ominous shift in the air. "We don't know that for sure."

"And what do you know, brother?" Lucifer barked out from behind the bar. His anger and frustration began to boil up to the point of no return.

"I know that we have been saying Chloe is special for years now, and we finally know why." Everyone turned to look at Chloe with wonderment in their eyes; everyone but Lucifer. Chloe squeezed her bomber jacket tight across her body. It was evident that no one knew what this meant, and she was starting to grow scared of herself. She just wanted to feel normal again. The corners of her lips drooped down into a frown at the thought of her relationship being forced and fake. She began to question if the thoughts racing through her head could be heard by everyone watching her.

"I think I need to go." Chloe squeezed one pocket, checking for her phone and keys as she headed toward the elevator.

Lucifer threw back his glass and swallowed the rest of his drink in one fell swoop. "I'll come with you."

Chloe continued to push the elevator button, thinking the more she pressed it, the faster it would come. "No, you should stay here."

"I'll come with you. You're going through something and I-"

Chloe turned to stop him from coming any closer to her. "Lucifer, please. I don't know what is happening to me or how to control it, but if what Amenadiel says is true, I think I need to stay away from you."

"Detective-" The elevator's humming grew louder as it breached to the top of the building. Chloe took a step back as Lucifer stepped closer to her.

"It's the only way that I know I won't randomly light up again. I can't believe that is an actual sentence coming out of my mouth." She ran her fingers through the top of her head, combing her hair in defeat. The elevator doors opened, and Chloe quickly walked in, pressing the button to close the doors. Lucifer leaned one hand against the elevator's frame as his eyes pleaded with her. Chloe kept her head down as the doors silently closed. "I'm sorry."

Maze and Linda shared a glance across the room, and Amenadiel sat himself down on the couch, still in shock by what he saw. The Devil paused, listening to the elevator grow farther away, and he stared blankly at the stone wall. With a quick wave of energy, Lucifer turned back to the bar to search for his car keys. Linda walked up the bar, tentatively watching her patient explore the counters distressed. "Lucifer, what are you doing?"

"The detective thinks she needs to be alone when, in fact, it's really the last thing she wants."

Linda folded her hands together as she watched Lucifer storm across the suite to look around the couch. "I think you should respect Chloe's wishes and give her some space. She's going through a lot right now. You both are."

"She's right, Lucifer." Maze walked over to Lucifer, who was lifting his chair cushions, and she crept a hand into his pant pocket to relieve the keys from their precise location. She spun the keys around her pointer finger to tease him and quickly enclosed them in her fist before he could reach out. "If you want to help her, then I'd start with finding out what she is first."

"There's something else we need to consider." Everyone turned their attention to Amenadiel, sitting somberly on the couch. "If Chloe isn't human, and she's not an angel, we may need to consider the fact that angels can- can kill her."

Lucier looked back to Maze and reached his arm out. "Keys. Now." Without hesitation, Maze tossed the car keys back to him, and she began to follow him out at a quick pace. Amenadiel lazily looked over his shoulder, watching the two wait for the elevator, knowing there was nothing he could say to make him stay. As the doors opened, both Lucifer and Maze collapsed their shoulders at the obstacle before them. Lucifer grumbled out a low, "Bloody hell."

God confidently walked out of the doors and paused, waiting for the elevator to leave him behind. He scanned the room to find the familiar faces he left here the day before. "Do all of you live here?"

Amenadiel shot up from the couch like a soldier awaiting command. Lucifer gripped his keys tightly, bending the carefully carved metal in his fist, and he turned toward his bookcase to avoid his father. "Father, where have you been?"

God had acknowledged Lucifer's avoidance and moved past Maze as if she were an inanimate object. He continued to walk toward Amenadiel, giving a nod to Linda and the baby. "I went to experience Los Angeles and see why my sons are so keen on calling this place their home. Also, I keep hearing about McDonald's in the Silver City, so I had my first Big Mac experience. It was quite interesting."

Linda raised her brows in surprise and looked to Amenadiel to respond, but even he stood confused by his own father. "Well, that's very nice." Linda tried to make this visit as civil as possible with a smile and nod.

Amenadiel glanced over at his son, sleeping away in his stroller and approached his father with a stronger voice. "We are sitting here, trying to piece together a plan that you created. A plan that you have all the answers to, and you're out eating fast food? Father, where is Michael? Why haven't you stopped him yet? Do you really want a war on your hands?"

God stood in silence, but his silence said more than enough to Lucifer. "Because he doesn't know where he is. Michael isn't answering his summons, is he?" He turned his head slightly in his son's direction as Lucifer turned around to face his father.

"Oh, are you talking to me now?"

Linda saw the look on Lucifer's face, and she prepared herself for the red eyes and hoarse voice that followed. "Cut the crap, dad. We both know this is bigger than you and me. Michael is ignoring your calls. He's more than a lost cause at this point."

The man that towered over everyone looked back to his eldest son. "I admit, Michael is not as responsive as he once was."

Amenadiel threw up his arms in defeat, and Lucifer took a step in closer. His lips grew a cocky grin as he finally saw a weakness in his father. "And you came here to ask for my help." His father dropped his head, watching his finger intertwine at his waistline.

"Michael is showing some patterns similar to when you initially acted out. Yes, I was coming to ask for your help, Samael." Lucifer released a maniacal chuckle as his eyes lit up in flames. He thought of a million different ways to shut his father down in a thousand different languages, but one thought lingered in the back of his mind, telling him to do it.

Amenadiel rubbed the back of his neck to release any tension building up. "Father, you're the last person Lucifer wants to help." Maze smiled something sinister, waiting for Lucifer to chastise his father, but her face sank when she watched him extend his hand out.

"I'll do it. But know this, this isn't out of the goodness of my dark heart. When you shake this hand, you're making a deal with the Devil. I do this for you, and you owe me a favor." Lucifer felt a high wash over his body, knowing he would have the upper hand for once in this relationship. He knew his father, and learning the full truth was not going to be easy. Much like Linda, God had a way of giving hints to the truth, but only if you could figure out the riddle yourself. Lucifer wanted one thing to hold over his father's head- to get the point-blank answers he needed.

The room remained silent as everyone watched and waited for his response. "Very well, then." As their palms met, Lucifer's eyes darkened on his target as his father returned a soft smile.

* * *

The bleeding green star on the young skater's baseball cap bobbed and weaved through the thick crowd growing on Venice Beach that Sunday afternoon. His hat was the only thing visible through the sea of heads and surfboards as he roamed closer to a set of three men. He got a laugh out of skimming his skateboard too close to people on the sidewalk, watching them jump back or shriek as if his skill were unplanned or unpredictable. The young man found an easy target, and he quickly zig-zagged in between the suit and the large, older man beside him, but the shock factor was gone. The three men continued to walk unphased by his tactics, deep in conversation. The boy turned around once more, sliding through the small opening between the older man and what looked like his older son.

While trying to look back at their reaction, he lost his footing and wiped out on the scolding, hot sidewalk. The three men stopped at his feet, and their towering bodies blocked the sun blaring down into the boy's eyes. The eldest men squatted down and revealed his hand out for support. "Are you alright, my child?" The boy was taken back by his kindness and felt a comforting calmness wave over his wounds and fallen body. Turning away from the interaction with a stubborn eye roll, the man in the suit dropped his sunglasses and lit a cigarette between his lips. A stiff foot tapped the end of the boy's skateboard, kicking it up into the third man's hands.

"Amenadiel, why is he not responding? Is he concussed?"

Amenadiel held up a hand to his father as the boy raised to his feet with assistance from the older man, and he took his skateboard back. "I think he's fine. Be careful next time and maybe invest in a helmet." Amenadiel returned an encouraging smile as the boy quickly rolled away, shooting off to the skate park.

God turned around to look at the groups of people walking around him in their own worlds. "This place is beautiful. All different walks of life together. That smell of the ocean's breeze. That view."

Amenadiel nodded along to his father's words, and a hopeful smile formed on his lips. "Yes, it is, Father." Lucifer flicked his cigarette onto the pavement in front of them and smothered the burning embers with his foot, continuing his walk down the sidewalk.

The two men followed behind him reluctantly. "So, you sensed him here." Lucifer's voice was dry and bland as he tried to keep his brother and father focused on the task.

"Yes, in my adventures yesterday, I felt his presence here."

"Just like how you felt his presence at Echo Park, or San Pedro, or the canals. Why do I get the feeling this entire morning was a complete lie. You never sensed Michael." They continued down the sidewalk at a stroll, passing street magicians and live performers.

"Luci, you may not, but I believe our father when he said he sensed Michael here. Wasn't it Michael, who appeared at the restaurant a block away from here? Maybe this is where he's staying. It's an easy place to blend in with the crowd."

Lucifer shoved his hands in his pockets, watching a group of men cut across the sidewalk with boogie boards. He pulled out his phone to check his dark screen for any messages and quickly typed away something short. "You're right, brother. Who am I to think that father would lie to us, misguiding us for his own personal gain. So silly of me."

God took in a deep breath, listening to his sons bicker over him. As he walked in between the two angels, he looked toward his most distant son and tried to think of a way to melt his icy exterior. "I had the opportunity to see Lux in full form last night. It is quite the establishment you have created. It seems very lucrative. I am impressed, Samael."

Lucifer winced under his sunglasses at his name and rolled his head to the side in annoyance. "Don't call me that."

Amenadiel rolled his eyes up to the sun at the sound of Lucifer's sharp tongue. "Luci, he's trying to compliment you and your success."

"Right. I'm sorry, Father. Thank you for being impressed with my wild establishment. Which did you find more impressive, the exotic dancers with daddy issues selling their bodies for cash or my bartenders selling drugs on the down-low to worthy customers? Which is it?" He turned his head to face his father with a cocky, tight-lipped grin, waiting for a response.

"What I find impressive is how you are able to balance your establishment while being a consultant for justice." Lucifer's grin went stale as his father began to push into a boundary he wasn't ready for. God turned toward his son to see his tense reaction. "Sam- Son, you know I have eyes and ears in this world. Does it always come through in full fruition? No. But I know enough. You have done tremendous good during your time here."

Lucifer's blood began to boil at his father's words. He had a specific memory of his dad from when he was in the Silver City, and the resentment that continued to build through the years shaped his view, but the father that spoke to him now was different. He was more understanding, he continued to try to connect, and he seemed more evolved. It annoyed Lucifer more that he was trying to be the father he wanted when he was younger, but it was too late in his mind. He pushed down whatever sliver of hope that crept through his body and spoke out. "If by tremendous good you mean provide many, many men and women the best nights of their lives, then yes, I agree."

Lucifer peaked in his pocket once more for any messages, but his screen was blank. "Is that why you keep checking your phone? For the many, many men and women who beckon your call?" Lucifer looked up to his father, who wore an all-knowing grin. The Devil bit down on his tongue hard, feeling his incisors pierce the pink, sponge-like muscle. Neither of the brothers had spoken to their father about Chloe, but they knew he was alluding to her. He had been all morning, waiting for one of them to say something. Two women sauntered their way across the sidewalk in matching blue bikinis with a white star pattern, and one of the women lowered her glasses to get a better look at Lucifer. Still, he ignored them, staring off into the distance with a fit of anger growing behind his eyes.

Amenadiel leaned back to see his brother's reaction from the opposite side of his father's shoulder. "Father, how are your senses now? Can you feel Michael at all?" The angel watched as his father closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose.

Amenadiel furrowed his brow as his father quickly dropped his shoulders in defeat. "Unfortunately, no." Back in the Silver City, Amenadiel knew to summon an angel took more time when his father was incorporeal, and now that he was in a body for the first time, he assumed it would take more effort.

God perked up at the site of a kiosk a few feet away selling drinks, ice cream, and treats to cool off with. Lucifer remained stone-cold and silent, staring off straight ahead while his father felt his pockets for his human's wallet. He opened the leather-bound wallet and found enough cash for his next experience. Amenadiel let his father wander off the sidewalk, and he closed the gap to his brother's side. "Luci, I don't think father is truly trying to find Michael."

"Are you just picking up on that?" They watched their father drop a few singles into the guitar case of a performer in transition between songs before making his way to the kiosk.

"I don't understand what's gotten into him. A simple snap of his fingers can easily avert this entire situation. Unless he's working with Michael, and this is all our punishment for staying here on Earth."

"Calm down, Amenadiel. If he came down to punish us, he would have visited long before now. Remember when Mum came here? She wanted to test drive her new body, and it looks like Dad is doing the same. It's very inconvenient, but luckily for you, you didn't make a deal with him. So, you are free to get out of this whenever." God made his way to the cashier and held up three fingers ordering from the menu above.

"Yeah, why did you do that? If you want answers from him, just ask. You don't have to make a game out of this."

"I make a game? Where have you been? Father created this game centuries ago, and we're just his pawns, playing our entire lives. Let me ask you this since you've been spending time with him, has he answered any of your questions? And when I mean answered, I mean a real answer. Not some cryptic, vague answer that leaves you with more questions."

Amenadiel opened his mouth to respond, but he soon closed his lips, knowing all of his questions were still floating out there in the unknown. "Exactly. I help father with this; then he owes me a direct answer; a detailed answer."

"I can't see him answering all of your questions; you know that, right?" Amenadiel saw from his profile view of Lucifer the intensity in his brother's eyes as he watched their father from a distance.

"I don't need him to answer everything. Just the one." The musician stroked a few chords on his guitar, practicing his hand positioning. He cleared his throat and began to play an acoustic version of "Shining Star" by The Manhattans. Amenadiel stepped aside to make room for the people stopping to listen, and he pulled his brother's elbow away from the crowd. "You're doing this for Chloe."

Lucifer pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head and checked his father's distance. "Of course, I am. Father has been trying to take away my free will since the beginning of time, and if he wants to throw another obstacle my way, fine. But I refuse to stand here and watch him do the same thing to her. I don't think I need to explain to you the depths that I would go to protect her. Even if that means spending the entire day with my father."

Amenadiel slowly nodded, accepting Lucifer's choice to be a devil of his word. Both brothers braced themselves as they watched their father approach them, balancing three cups of shaved ice in his hands. "Here we go. Lemon for Amenadiel and cherry for Sa- my other son. It is cherry, right?"

Like a synchronized movement, both brothers looked down curiously at their ice, to one another, and back to their father. "Did I get the flavors wrong?"

"Father, what are you doing?" Amenadiel stepped forward, growing tense toward his father as Lucifer picked at the ice with his spoon.

"I am getting my sons a cold, over-priced, treat."

Amenadiel tossed his treat into the trash can nearby, and Lucifer smiled brightly, impressed by his brother's rebellious act. He raised his brows in excitement and chomped down on his first bite of the shaved ice, watching Amenadiel inch closer to their father. "Is this all a joke to you? Is my son's life- all of humanity- a joke? If this war begins, this could mean the end of the world. This world, at least. And here you are, trying to make a father-son bonding day. Did you even attempt to find Michael?" Lucifer's lips were glowing a bright red from every spoonful of his artificial cherry syrup.

"Michael does not necessarily know I am down here, yet. He has always been a very passionate angel, more bark than bite if you will. I just wanted to spend time with my two sons before my return."

Amenadiel placed both of his hands on his hips, shaking his head in disappointment. "Lucifer was right. You have been lying and manipulating us all morning just to spend time with you."

God looked down at his melting ice and back to his son with an impassive look. He had yet to master the expressions on his human's face. "I did not manipulate; I just knew you two would not agree to this. So, I fibbed."

Amenadiel raised a hand to hover inches away from his father's face to make him stop talking. "You have no idea what we've been growing through down here. You may have been watching, but you have no idea about the torment and agony you have put us through. All of these questions about humanity and about the path you laid out for us: and now, to me, at least, none of that matters, because I have a son. A beautiful son. I am asking one thing of you- to help me protect him, but no. Your own agenda is more important, and it always will be." Amendiel's eyes began to swell with tears, and Lucifer planted his spoon in his ice out of respect for his brother. He was growing tired, frustrated, and now hurt over the constant fight for his son's safety.

"I thought I used to understand you, but I'm a father now, and it's become clear to me that our views of what it means to be a true father are completely different." Amenadiel stormed away, and he blended into the thickness of the crowd. God watched his son walk away from him, and he picked at this melting ice, not knowing what to do or say.

"Honey, you are my shining star. Don't you go away." The singer belted out from the crowd circling him, and God passively looked over his shoulder to follow the lyrics. He met eyes with his son, who still picked away at his ice.

"Congrats, dad. What is that, a third son now ignoring your command? Have you realized yet that maybe we're not the issue." God stuck his chin out as Lucifer's words struck him hard in the face. Lucifer raised a spoonful of ice into his mouth, and he swallowed with a malicious grin. "Thanks for wasting our morning." He began to walk backward into the crowd as he slid his shades back down to his eyes. "We still have a deal, father. Remember that."

Lucifer turned into the crowd and began to walk at a quicker pace to find his brother.

* * *

The first two months after Lucifer returned to hell, Chloe found herself motivated to take on new hobbies and house projects. She joined a running group that met at the crack of dawn every morning, she began taking cooking classes with Trixie to create meals she wasn't even interested in eating. When work found it lulls in activity, she would volunteer her time to the cadets in training and offered to teach some of the night classes. When Chloe was pushed- or forced- to take a weekend off, she found sudden inspiration to update her home.

It became common for Trixie and Maze to wake up to a new home at least once a week. Chloe moved her living room furniture around in every formation she could think of and finally settled with the original layout in the end. One weekend, Chloe removed all of her decors and painted the living room a pale ocean blue. Two weekends later, it became a light forest green. The living room saw a makeover of four different colors before Chloe completed her work with the original cream-colored walls the apartment came with.

It was no surprise to Maze when she came home to Chloe, scrubbing away at her fridge on all fours. She wore an oversized, stained flannel button-down, and her hair was tossed into an untamed bun as she bounced to a subtle beat. Maze winced at the 90s music blaring through the Bluetooth speaker and Chloe's off-tune singing voice, belting out from the inside of her fridge. Maze leaned over the kitchen island to see all of the food splayed out on the floor, and Chloe plunge her arm into a bucket of soapy, warm water.

" _As we lay there under blue sky with pure white stars_

_Exotic sweetness a magical time…_

_I love you always forever_

_Near and far closer together_

_Everywhere I will be with you_

_Everything-_ "

Chloe jumped back from her fridge with a gasp that took her breath away. Maze grinned a light-lipped smile as she paused the music on Chloe's phone and began to scroll through her missed text messages from Lucifer. Since she had left the team earlier that morning in the penthouse, Lucifer had been continuously checking-in with her through text; going against his advice from Linda.

"He's worried about you, you know."

Chloe sprang up to her feet and yanked her phone back into her hands, placing it face down on her side of the counter. "Maze, I'm really not in the mood right now. I'm assuming Lucifer sent you, but I'm fine. Really."

"Lucifer didn't send me. I just came home to-"

Chloe snapped off her yellow rubber gloves, knowing where this was going. "You came to talk to me about how I shouldn't distract myself right now and how I should be working with the team to figure out whatever the hell I am. I appreciate it, I do, but I really need to take this time for myself. It's scary, you know, not knowing. Like has this always been inside of me, or did Lucifer create something, or why hasn't this happened before? Yes, all great things to figure out, but this a lot to take in. And I feel like the best thing for me right now is just to remember who I've always been and take time to separate myself from all of this celestial stuff. Now, that might sound like I'm avoiding this, but that's not what's happening. I'm just taking a mental break." Chloe nodded her head, quickly trying to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

Maze pursed her lips with squinted eyes, growing bored of Chloe's rambling. "No. Wasn't going to say any of that."

Chloe relaxed her body and looked around the room, insecure as her phone buzzed below at a new message. "Oh."

"I got a job and came home to get some weapons for the hunt. I was going to ask if you wanted to join, but you seem very busy- not avoiding whatever's going on with you." Maze leaned her head around Chloe to sneak a peek at the fridge that shined like brand new.

Chloe leaned one arm on the counter and raised her hand that held the rubber gloves to her hip. She slightly fidgeted in her stance, eyeing her roommate with curiosity. "What's the job?"

Maze plucked her phone from her back pocket and scrolled to the message, sliding her phone across the counter for Chloe to scan. "Some chick stole something valuable, and the host wants her to be found."

Chloe opened her mouth in concern, reading little detail in the message provided. "Maze, this is coming from an anonymous text message service. They provided you with practically no details whatsoever on what she did or what they plan to do with her. This seems really suspicious. Are you sure this is something you want to do?"

Maze took her phone back with a pretentious eye roll. "Decker, this is where the money's at. I do these no-questions-asked bounties all the time, and I'm still standing. It's probably best you don't come anyways. You're too by the book for this stuff. Plus, I don't want to interrupt your…" Maze looked to the stack of canned goods from the cupboard spread out on the island, and Chloe awkwardly adjusted her stance, avoiding her roommate's eyes.

"I was going to alphabetize them back in the cabinet." Chloe's voice shrank to a small, quiet voice, embarrassed by the task she secretly looked forward to. Trying to look mildly impressed, Maze raised her brows in awe.

"Well, okay then. Sorry to miss out on the fun, but I should really get going. I'll be out of your hair in a few." Maze double-stepped her walk up the stairs to her bedroom, and Chloe ignored the other buzz from her phone. She began placing her items back into the fridge as she listened to Maze shuffling around the room above her. The sound of a chest opening with metal blades and chains clanging together made Chloe dart her eyes up to the ceiling. As Maze's iron-like footsteps made their way down the stairs, Chloe closed the fridge and focused on the cans before her with a blank stare.

Maze tossed the heavy duffle bag behind her shoulder and made her way to the front door, but Chloe's voice stopped her. "Wait. I'm coming." Maze tried to hide her grin as she turned around, dropping her duffle to the floor. "But, I swear Maze, if this is another fake bounty to distract me, I will zap you." Chloe made a small gesture with her hands, and Maze perked up at the thought of her glowing light striking her.

After four hours of a hunt, Maze and Chloe found themselves in an alley in the abandoned warehouse district. Chloe continued to suspiciously look around her car through her rearview and side mirrors. "Maze, I have a bad feeling about this."

"You've been saying that before we even started this. Calm down." Their first stop on their hunt for Aria Meyer was a corporate office downtown, where she worked as the assistant for the company's CFO. Maze got her home address, and they traveled to West Hollywood to a small, modern apartment complex. As Maze swore the front door was unlocked, a reluctant Chloe followed inside as the door handle fell out of his socket and onto the cement floor. They were not in the apartment for more than 20 minutes when Chloe found Aria's lease payments on a space in the district they currently waited in.

Maze kicked her feet up on Chloe's dashboard as Chloe nervously tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "I don't know. This was too easy."

"Or maybe, I'm just that good of a bounty hunter." Both of their eyes directed down to Chloe's bomber jacket pocket at the sound of her phone buzzing once more. "That thing has been going off like crazy." Maze reached over and pulled the phone out, and Chloe attempted to wrestle for the device but lost. "Damn, who knew Lucifer was a stage-five clinger. I'm turning this off."

Chloe licked her lips, protesting for her phone, but Maze held it out of reach. "This is for your own good. You get this annoying guilty look on your face every time this thing buzzes." She placed the phone away in her pocket and zipped up her leather jacket waiting for their target to show herself. "So, why are you avoiding him, anyway? Other than punishing him for what he did to you."

"I'm not punishing him."

Maze looked back over her shoulder to see if any activity was happening behind the car. "That's what it looks like to me." The sun slowly began to make its descent over the west coastline, and Chloe followed the shadows from the building and the glow of the sun from over one of the factory's towers.

"He was just as shocked as me when this happened."

Maze's tongue glossed over the front of her teeth as she watched Chloe's profile, and a small hint of guilt lingered in her chest. "Is it because of what I said this morning?"

"No. I mean, is that thought now stuck in the back of my head? Yeah, but that's not it. I honestly don't know why I am. Maybe it's because I asked for space, and he's obviously not giving it to me. Or maybe because I know he's my trigger, and I can't control this thing. I don't want people outside of our little group knowing this or seeing it because I don't even know how to explain it." Chloe paused, pushing her lips together, and her voice grew darker. "Or maybe because the thought of accidentally hurting him or worse- I can't."

Maze didn't respond or make any movements, but Chloe could tell by the look on her face that she understood. As she continued to wait for her friend to respond with anything, Maze quickly sat up in her passenger seat and patted Chloe on the chest to look up. A red sedan drove in from a different direction, and the image of Aria that they both studied from the text message came to life as she popped her head out of the driver seat. Aria suspiciously looked around and over her shoulder as she entered the factory, closing the door loudly behind her.

Maze yanked her duffle bag from the back seat into her lap and began to riffle through the weapons she packed. She pulled out two daggers attached to a harness, and she clasped the harness closed around her calf. "This should be easy."

As Maze made her way out of the car, Chloe stopped her by grabbing hold of her wrist. "Maze, I still have a really bad feeling about this."

Maze threw her head back in agony as Chloe pleaded with her. "Then stay in the car, Decker. I get that you're scared because this is a big girl's game, but I got this." Maze quickened her pace as she made strides across the street, watching for any traffic.

Chloe couldn't suppress the dark feeling lurking in her body and knew she had to follow. "Damn it." She felt for the harness that wrapped around her waist and lowered her glove compartment to snag her badge from it's holding place. As Maze reached for the door, Chloe ran across the street to try to make it to her friend in time.

The factory was dark, and the only lines of visibility were from the setting sun's rays shooting an orange beam through the broken windows from high above. There were distant sounds of water dripping at different levels and a smell of mold that made Chloe scrunch her nose up as she adjusted to the space. She followed closely behind Maze, who walked tall and confident, not caring that her combat boots stomped into different puddles, alerting to their location. Chloe stayed low and walked light with her gun at the ready.

They walked out into a wide-open, abandoned space of the factory where mold silhouetted the lines of where a machine once stood. A single door that emitted a red emergency light through its window caught Maze's attention, and she continued to walk without hesitation. "Maze, wait," Chloe whispered out an urgent, low scream as she was distracted by the space around them. Maze whipped the door open, and she disappeared into the red.

Chloe slowly followed behind, following her training and peaked into the window before entering. Maze caught Aria waiting patiently in the middle of the room, and something horrible shocked Chloe's senses. She quickly looked behind her to see if anyone was approaching, and Chloe opened the door quietly.

"We can do this the hard way or the- yeah, no, I prefer the hard way." Maze's voice echoed in the large, circular room. Massive columns stood three feet apart around the perimeter of the room, and Chloe silently made her way behind one column as her instincts told her to hide. Maze was enough of a distraction for Aria not to notice a second person in the room. Chloe knelt down into an active kneeling position and searched the room quickly to find alternative exits. The room had four additional doors behind Aria that were wide open, and Chloe looked up for any stream of light from the windows, but a metal dome encapsulated the room. A single red light bulb encaged hung from above, emitting the only light source for the room.

"It's good to see you again, Mazikeen."

Maze cocked her head to the side, trying to find any familiarity in the girl's face. "Do we know each other?"

Chloe continued to open and close her eyes to adjust to the dull red light as quickly as possible. On the last round of closing her eyes, she picked up on the sound of distant footsteps slowly approaching from a direction she couldn't pinpoint. She peaked around the base of the column and watched Maze brace herself as the doors began to produce three sets of unwelcomed guests. Twelve people stood at the ready, waiting for someone to make a move as the doors closed behind them.

Slowly retracting her head back behind the column, Chloe felt for her phone to call back-up. As she felt for her pockets, Chloe dropped her head in frustration, knowing her phone sat in Maze's leather jacket.

"You could say we know each other from a past life." Maze scanned the people behind her target. All were of different height, ages, and ethnicities. Aria pulled out a bowie knife, hidden under her shirt, and tucked away in the back of her jeans. There was a hunger in Aria's eyes and no hesitation in her movements.

Maze bobbed her head back, surprised as Aria swiftly threw a right hook, highlighting the blade's sharp tip. As the knife raised high above to strike down on Maze, Chloe shot her torso up and balanced her arms on the edge of the column's base, pointing her gun at Aria.

"LAPD. Drop the weapon. Now!" Chloe's voice boomeranged around the room, and soon, all eyes were on her. Maze kept her eyes on Aria and watched the eagerness take over as the knife struck down toward Maze's shoulder. She quickly jumped back, almost impressed with the little blonde's gumption. As Aria raised the knife once more, Chloe shot three bullets into Aria's abdomen. The woman stumbled backward, shocked by the sudden blows, and then she stopped.

Chloe's eyes widened as Aria looked back up to Maze, unphased by the bullets in her stomach. She had seen a similar response once before, and Chloe soon thought back to her night at the Mayan when she struck her first demon. Maze's deep, hoarse scream made the hair on Chloe's arms stand, and she snapped out of her shock. "Chloe, get out of here!"

Maze took one of the knives from her calf, and she braced herself in a fighter stance, watching the demons focus on her. At this point, she accepted that she walked into a trap, and she was their target. She quickly glanced over her shoulder to see if Chloe left, but she was still there. "Decker!"

The demon that took over Aria's body charged towards Maze, and she shoulder rolled out of the demon's clutches. As Maze stood, another demon, in the form of a security officer, bear-hugged her from behind, lifting her off the ground. Maze threw her head back, stunning the officer and breaking his hold on her. She gripped the knife tightly as she rounded her shoulder back to stab the stunned demon in his eye. The blade slid deep and smooth to the back of his head.

Another demon, in the form of a nurse, threw a hard punch, and Maze grabbed their right arm, twisting it behind their back, and she drove her foot into the back of the nurse's knee, forcing them to fall to the floor. With her first knife still dripping in blood, she slid her blade across the fallen demon's throat while back kicking the next target away from her.

A demon in the shape of an overweight, middle-aged man wearing a floral Hawaiian shirt teamed up with a demon in the form of what looked like a teenage girl. Maze quickly grabbed her other knife and ducked as both demons charged on opposite ends. She crossed both arms, driving her knives through their stomachs and twisted the blades up. As she stood, the blades slid up with her, cutting their bodies open and leaving a single slit from their pelvic floor to their chest.

The room was small, dark, and there was a constant battle at every turn. Everything was happening so quickly, and out of Maze's peripheral view, a demon was making their way to her at every angle. To take on this many humans at once was one thing, but when the fight was 13 demons versus one, that was another. There was no time to search for her hell-forged daggers, and she needed to be continually moving to tackle each demon. She kept count as one demon fell after the other, but she knew that the knives she struck with would only cause so much damage, and soon, they would be up to their feet once more. It was going to be a never-ending battle. One that she began to believe she was going to lose, but she would go down fighting anyway.

Loud bursts of light traveled across the room as Chloe continued to empty her rounds on the demons around her, hoping it would weaken or distract them for Maze. She pulled her finger in tight against the trigger, but a dull clicking noise dropped her heart into her stomach. Chloe was out of bullets, and her breath began to rise and fall into a panic. She saw five demons on the floor, three of which started to moving slowly again. Looking around the room, Chloe found the place to be completely bare. The only weapons left in the room were her gun, which was useless at this point, and Maze, who looked like she was growing tired.

Chloe knew the option to run was available to her, and Maze continued to scream at her to do so, but she stayed. The sound of metal dropping to the cement floor made Chloe jerk her head back in Maze's direction. A demon, in the form of a businessman, snapped Maze's wrist and locked her into a hold as another demon, that took the shape of a surfer, approached. Maze placed all of her force into the businessman's chest, and she kicked the surfer in the chest with both of her feet. As the demon stumbled back, the businessman kicked the knife off to the side, and Chloe stayed low, trying to find the blade through the red light.

Maze's grunts echoed off the walls as Chloe slid her hands back and forth on the wet cement until she felt for the sharp metal. Grabbing the handle, Chloe popped up and met a demon in the form of a utility worker in the face. He immediately knocked the knife out of her hand, and she listened as it banged against the wall opposite her. She instinctively jabbed him in the face with her right fist, but he remained unphased by the strike. As her breaths continued to grow shorter, she felt her skin become hot.

The fear Chloe felt was almost paralyzing, and her stomach began to tighten as if hot lava swished back and forth inside of her. Chloe continued to take small steps back as the demon followed her, releasing little laughs at the sight of her panic. She quickly looked to her right and was unsettled by the sight of two demons holding Maze in place by her arms. Another demon stood behind her, blocking her in as Aria slowly walked toward Maze, with the bowie knife in her hand. Aria spoke out to Maze, but it was all muffled in Chloe's ear as her racing heart overwhelmed her eardrums.

The demon following Chloe stopped as Aria's muffled voice grew louder to grab everyone's attention. Chloe felt a small hum vibrate over her skin, and her muscles grew heavy. Maze's eyes began to shimmer with tears in the red light as they met Chloe's across the room. Chloe saw what looked like a silent goodbye from Maze. Not having to share words, Chloe quickly shook her head, not accepting what she was about to see, and her face began to burn.

A piercing pain of scorching flames spread out from Chloe's heart, down her legs and out of her fingertips. The overpowering sensation caused Chloe to drop back her head and release a long, relieving breath. She lifted her hands and turned her palms to find the white glow that radiated off of her skin. The room came to a complete stop as the demons turned to view their new source of bright light.

The utility worker to Chloe's left began to charge at Aria's demand. Chloe lifted her hands defensively to brace for his blow, and a beam of light shot out of her hands at the demon. His body became stuck in the wave of light, and his eyes, along with his open mouth, emitted a black smoke before the body collapsed lifelessly to the floor.

The demons holding Maze in place released their grip as they watched in awe. Chloe slowly turned her head toward the seven demons standing in the middle of the room, and she searched for Maze's face. The three demons, who almost lost in their fight against Maze, regained their strength and stood on to their feet. Maze darted her eyes to the nearest column, hoping Chloe would pick up on her signal. She braced her broken wrist with her free hand and shoulder rolled out of sight, hoping the column would offer enough protection.

Aria jerked her head back in Maze's direction and then back to the glowing white light, stepping toward Chloe. Closing her eyes to muster up enough strength, Chloe raised her hands to spread a thin blanket of light across the room, encompassing the demons before her. She slowly opened her eyes and fought to keep her heavy eyelids from closing as she watched black smoke emit at different paces from each demon. As the bodies dropped one by one, Chloe felt a wave of exhaustion move through her body, and she widened her stance to catch herself.

Maze remained crouched low behind the column, and she watched the demons before her dissipate into thin air, leaving their human capsules behind. Chloe was just out of sight, and Maze didn't know how far her rays stretched. Chloe's light reflected off the wet floor, and Maze watched the glow shrink and grow dull at the sound of a single sob. As soon as the red light from above encaptured the room once more, Maze pushed her tired body up against the column's base to help her stand. She turned, holding her wrist, but found no one there.

Maze hurried to the door that originally led them into the trap and searched the open factory floor for her friend. Chloe's footsteps echoed off the wall as she ran away, fast against the wet cement floor. "Chloe!" Maze called out for her, but she was gone.


	10. Hot Ball of Gas

"I didn't realize everyone would be here."

Maze closed Linda's front door behind her with a weak kick of her boot. The beef and broccoli that balanced in Linda's chopsticks snapped out of their hold, and back into the Chinese takeout container on the island. "Maze, what happened to you?" Linda spoke out in shock and worried at the sight of her friend. Amenadiel and Lucifer turned around, and their faces dropped at the glimpse of Maze limping to the nearest chair. The one person to ignore the new houseguest was God. He lifted one of the white takeout boxes and sniffed the steaming food to see if it was of any interest to him.

Linda hurried across her home, kneeling at her friend's side to get a better look at her. Lines of dried blood spread across her hands, and some droplets splattered across her cheek. Patches of dirt and mud laid on her neck and forehead alongside purple bruises on her jaw. Her leather jacket was torn at the shoulder, and a noticeable scratch lined across her chest. Maze released a sharp breath as Linda lightly touched the swollen, sprained wrist that laid lifeless on Maze's leg. "I'm fine."

Amenadiel's wide eyes scanned up and down her body, looking for any other points of pain. "You don't look fine."

Linda pushed herself up, rushing back to her kitchen to run warm water for a washcloth and to grab an ice pack in her freezer. She turned around, slapping the top of God's hand as he dove his fingers into the steamed pork dumplings. "I can't believe I have to say this to you, but can you please show some compassion?" He slightly nodded in his host's direction and wiped his hands off one another as he joined his sons in the living room.

Lucifer felt his heart pound harder against his chest at the sight of his friend, but he kept his breathing steady as he watched Linda gently place Maze's wrist against the ice pack. "Does he have to be here for this?" Maze jerked her head in God's direction, and both brothers rolled their eyes up to the ceiling wanting to ignore the burden that followed them.

Soon after they left him on the Venice Beach sidewalk, Lucifer and Amenadiel returned to the penthouse with their father patiently waiting on the balcony. Although he never said the words "I'm sorry," their father agreed to summon Michael at that moment. As the brothers watched the summoning take place, God's eyes rapidly moved right to left under his closed eyelids, confused as to what he couldn't feel. Amenadiel ignored his protesting brother and believed his father when he said Michael wasn't walking the Earth and could not be found.

"Just pretend he's not here, Maze." Amenadiel's voice was soft, yet urgent as he wanted answers from her.

She played with the washcloth in her hand as she averted her eyes away from the group. "I thought I had a basic bounty tonight, but it wasn't as simple as I thought. It was a trap. I got stuck in a room with..." she paused, scrubbing the blood on her sprained wrist, mad at herself for falling into the trap. "... with demons." Linda quickly looked up to Amenadiel for answers, but he was as clueless as her. Lucifer furrowed his brow confused and looked to his father to see if any reaction crossed his face, but God remained impassive.

Amenadiel raised his palm to pause Maze from continuing. "I- I don't understand. How is this possible? The last time Eve had to-" Maze darted her eyes up to the angel, at the sound of her last heartbreak. She closed her eyes and remembered the dark, red room, and the constant, exhausting fight.

"The leader, they said that 'Lilith, sends her regards.'" Her eyes slowly rolled up like daggers to Lucifer, waiting for his response.

Amenadiel quickly turned around to face his brother with a look of certainty. "Luci, you were right. They're working together."

Lucifer turned around to hide the guilt that took over every inch of his face. Because of his quick action, he destroyed the very reason for his original return to Hell almost eight months ago. Because of him, his closest friend almost died. Linda paced close to her couch, hugging her arms together. "What do you mean leader? How many were there?"

"Thirteen. They were out for blood, and they almost got what they wanted, too- me dead."

Lucifer turned his chin toward his shoulder to look back to the group. "I hate that I have to say this, but I now believe Dad when he said Michael wasn't walking this Earth. You didn't sense him because he was in Hell. He was Lily's ticket to coming up here."

"I'm sorry, what?" Linda's eyes were about to bulge out of her head as Lucifer spoke. He turned around and placed his hands in his pockets, still piecing the puzzle together.

"There's no way the demons would listen to Michael. He had to have an insider to rally the troops. They already turned on me once, who's to say they wouldn't do it again under the right leadership." Lucifer tilted his chin up, remembering his short encounter with the demon and his brother back in Hell. His eyes shot over to his father, who casually stood behind the drama that ensued before him.

"You. You sent Cas and Lily down to Hell to replace me. You told them that it had to be me, the Lightbringer, to end Michael's war. Since you've been here, all you've been saying is how Michael wouldn't do this. What's changed your tune since then?" God's eyes looked up to his left as he remembered the words shared with Cassiel and his partner to relieve Lucifer of his duties, temporarily.

Amenadiel looked betrayed as he interrupted his brother's interrogation of their father. "Wait, you never told me that."

"They must have misunderstood me. I knew Michael was gone, but when I asked them to relieve you, that was not my intention."

Lucifer ignored his brother and passed him with a force that made everyone in the room worry for God's human body. "You're lying. After all this time, you wouldn't just set me free that easily. Are you working with them?"

"I can assure you; I am not. This is all new to me as well." Lucifer stepped forward once more with his nostrils flared.

"Then why relieve me. I returned to Hell. I did exactly what you wanted."

His father returned a slow shake of his head at his son's angry words, disagreeing that was ever what he wanted. "I owed someone a favor."

Lucifer took a step back, not knowing what to make of his response. "Who would you owe a favor to?" His father returned a soft smile and looked off into the distance to end their conversation, and Lucifer grew angrier at God's stubbornness.

Linda's voice broke a sliver of the tension from across the room. "So, Lilith's plan worked. She got Lucifer out of Hell to control the demons. Then why not just send them after Lucifer? If the demons want revenge for being abandoned, why kill Maze?" The room paused in deep thought as Lucifer kept his eyes on his father.

Amenadiel's hands gripped the back of one of the chairs in the living room, and his shoulders hunched over patterned material. "The shot heard around the world." Lucifer removed his attention away from his father, and his head followed his brother's voice. "The Revolutionary War began with a single gunshot. The tension was high, but both sides were just waiting for someone to make the first move. Maze was their gunshot. Lucifer told Michael he didn't want to fight. If a war began today, it would be on Michael's hands; but remove Lucifer's right-hand man, his most prized possession, and he would seek revenge. The war between angels would be on Lucifer; again."

Maze swallowed hard, holding her wrist up with the ice pack. "Yeah, well, jokes on them."

Lucifer cocked his head to the side, almost disappointed by her reaction. "You don't think I'd go to war for you?" There was an intensity in his eyes that made Maze's hard exterior crack, and she looked away embarrassed for a moment.

Amenadiel stood erect once more, feeling confident that a piece of Michael's plan was laid out before them. "I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we're happy you made it out alive, Maze. Thirteen demons is a lot to take on, even for you." Her eyes darted down to her wrist, and she closed her eyes tightly, knowing the look Lucifer gave her across the room would soon turn to hate.

"There's more." Maze paused, taking in a deep breath, and she released a long sigh through her pursed lips. "Chloe was really upset, from this morning, and I thought she could use a distraction." Her words came out slow and unsteady, avoiding Lucifer's gaze.

Like being stunned by an ocean's wave, Lucifer felt as if he were about to lose his footing, and his lips trembled in anger. "Mazikeen…"

"The bounty seemed simple, you know. I just thought-" Linda cupped her hand around her mouth, thinking the worst. Amenadiel snapped his head back to see the red eyes burning in his brother. "She was with me in there."

"What?!" Lucifer's roar made everyone flinch; even his father jerked his head in surprise toward his son's rage.

"She kept telling me that she had a bad feeling, and now I realize I should have listened."

Lucifer charged across the room and lifted Maze by her shoulders, giving her a single shake for information. "Where is she?" Linda laid a hand on his bicep, trying to pull him back, but he did not move.

"I don't know. Lucifer, I'm telling you the truth. She ran away after-" Lucifer released his grip on her, and he felt his chest heave with every breath as he waited for her to continue. "I'd love to take credit for annihilating those guys, really, I would. Everything was happening so quickly and next thing I know, she's lighting up. I don't know what I saw, but I do know Chloe saved my life."

Lucifer threw his hand into his suit jacket pocket to retrieve his phone, and he began redialing her number for the fifth time that day. As he listened to a single ring cut to her voicemail, Maze pulled out Chloe's phone from her leather jacket and handed it over to him. "I'm sorry."

Amenadiel ran his hands over the top of his head, trying to comprehend Maze's story. "Chloe killed all of them?" Lucifer turned around looking down at her phone, and he slowly walked back into the kitchen, thinking of how she was feeling right now. There was no way for him to contact her, track her, find her.

"Technically, I killed two of them." Maze looked at Linda, who returned a quick shake of her head. "But, body count doesn't matter right now." Linda formed a tight smile as Maze fixed her response.

"Chloe produced light? Hmm." God reflectively smiled and clasped his hands together at his waistline, waiting for the group to continue their discussion.

Maze tossed her ice pack back onto the chair and joined Amenadiel's side as they watched God show interest in their conversation for the first time. "Is that all you have to say? 'Hmm,'?" Maze looked back over her shoulder to see if Linda was as equally angered, but her friend's focus was elsewhere.

Linda struggled over the years, finding the right balance between seeing Lucifer as a patient and as a friend. She noticed many opportunities that would be easy for her to interfere with his personal life but knew he had to make his own choices and learn from his own mistakes. As she watched the Devil in her kitchen turn his back to the group, she began to grow concerned over his silence. Linda made her way to his side and watched the conversation in her living room unfold.

"Father, we know about Chloe. We know you created her to be put in Lucifer's path." Amenadiel waved his arm back to highlight his brother as he spoke, and God continued to stare expressionless at his son.

Maze took a step forward, fixing her jacket around her shoulders. "What is she?"

"It is not that simple an answer." God's voice was apathetic as he spoke, frustrating Maze. Linda looked over to Lucifer, who leaned down onto the island. He cuffed the back of his neck with both hands and balanced his elbows down onto the cold, marble surface. His eyes were closed as he listened to Maze argue in the background.

"No, it's pretty easy. It's a simple answer. Is she human? Is she an angel? Is she something you decided to make up because you were bored? What is she?" As Maze's words thrashed against her tongue, God turned his attention to Lucifer, who remained distant. The room waited for a response, but they received nothing in return. The silence was tense and forbidding.

Lucifer began to shake his head, and he opened his eyes on Linda. She parted her lips slightly at the sight of his eyes, filled with hurt and anger. He breathed out his words quietly, and they grew in hate as he stood. "I can't do this. I'm done." The group in the living room turned their attention to Lucifer, who stared down at Chloe's phone. His voice pierced through the silence in the room, and everyone tensed their shoulders by the hoarseness in his throat.

"I'm done. I'm done with the riddles and the silent treatment. I'm done with that smug, all-knowing grin on your face. What is it that you truly want, father? Is it to have front row seats to the torment and suffering you put us through because I don't know what else we can give you. Why won't you just answer the damn question?"

"I want my family to be happy."

Lucifer pumped his arms up in anger after his father spoke. "Well, news flash, dad, we're not a family. We haven't been in a long time." Lucifer aggressively pointed his finger out into the empty space leading to the front door, and his finger glided across the room to each individual. "Chloe is my family. Maze, the Doctor-" He landed on Amenadiel, who looked back at him surprised. "Amenadiel, depending on how up my ass he is that day, is my family. Whatever you thought was still here, between us, has been long gone. It left the day you chose to send me to Hell, and all hope was lost the day I learned about the Detective."

God looked over to Amenadiel, waiting for his son to intervene as he had done many times that day, but his eldest son took a few steps back and positioned himself behind Lucifer with folded arms. He ignored the smug look Maze gave him, watching both brothers turn on their father.

Lucifer continued to project his voice across the room. "If you really wanted us to be happy, you would have just listened to us when you arrived. You continue to ignore us and use us for your own plan to make yourself feel less guilty. Forgive me, father, for I have no patience." Lucifer raised his hands to his hips as he thought of the past three days.

"A brother that betrayed me eons ago shows himself to me, reminding me of the horrible things I've done, telling me how I could never change. I learn he's trying to start a war, and then that same night, a father that I could go another lifetime without seeing appeared on my balcony. We have more than enough history between us, so I think you can understand why it wasn't the happiest of reunions. Then I learned that the woman I-" God's brows raised in intrigue, waiting for his son to complete his sentence, but Lucifer corrected himself and lowered his voice an octave.

"I learned that the Detective was just another ploy for the Lightbringer, and now she is out there, feeling like she is losing control of herself, and I can't be there. Then we have Maze, who almost died tonight by the hands of her own mother. We have these two..." Lucifer threw his hand out in Linda and Amenadiel's direction. "... who haven't slept for more than four hours in two months because they are living in a nightmare that their son will be taken from them at any moment. But none of this matters to you."

Lucifer paused, looking down to the floor, catching his breath. "I'm tired. I'm tired of all of these surprises. I'm done with the questions that continue to pile up every day because of you. If you want to make us happy, then just give us what we want and leave." Lucifer's shoulders began to hunch as the hate inside of him deflated. There was a long, uncomfortable silence that lingered in the room as no one knew what to say.

"Okay." Lucifer and Amenadiel looked up to their father in surprise at his calm response. "What do you want to know?"

Lucifer looked to Maze, his brother, and Linda to confirm the one question he wanted to ask; the one question they wanted to know. They all returned an encouraging nod, and Lucifer stepped forward, preparing himself for the response. "What is she?"

* * *

She stared at the swirls of deep blue and black in the night's sky. The bright LA skyline of yellow, orange, and red overpowered the stars, and Chloe's eyes searched for the moon. She sat alone in Griffith Park, and the Observatory behind her gleamed a comforting white light. Pulling her jacket tight across her chest for warmth, Chloe sank down on the bench that sat at the base of the hill.

A twig snapped behind her, and Chloe did not flinch or turn in fear as the heavy, calm footsteps approached her. The man placed his hands into his pockets, soaking in the view of the city's lit skyline before him. They did not share a glance or acknowledge each other's presence, but Chloe had a strong feeling who stood beside her. "You're him, aren't you?"

The large, dark-skinned man smiled down on her as she continued to stare forward at the lights, and he made his way to the empty seat next to her. "I am." They sat together in silence, looking over the city. "This view is beautiful."

One corner of Chloe's lips curved up into a smile as she remembered her childhood. "When I was a kid, my dad worked nights. Sometimes he would wake me up during his break and drive me up here. He would get us ice cream sandwiches at some corner store, and we'd just sit here and eat. We'd never talk, just listen to music and feel like we were the only two people awake at three in the morning." Chloe's smile faded as she gave God a small sideways glance. "But you probably know all about that."

"Humans want to believe that I am always watching and listening, but I do not know everything. Small, important moments in your life, but not everything. I am listening, though, when I am called upon, like that night on the balcony. You were so angry with me. I began to see the light in you dim."

Chloe closed her eyes, not wanting to hear about the light inside of her. "Why are you here?"

He turned his body slightly, propping one elbow up on the bench to face her. "I came here for you, my child."

Chloe winced at his formal name for her, and she raised a hand to stop him. "Please, don't call me that."

He hid a small smile behind his lips, recognizing the same tone in his son's voice earlier that day. "Both of my sons have many questions. Linda had questions, even the demon."

Chloe folded her arms tighter together as her heart dropped at the thought of her friend. "Her name is Maze."

He recognized that everyone had a fondness for this specific demon, and he paused a short second to acknowledge his mistake. "They all had questions for me. But, I had yet to hear from you. You did not seek me out, but I feel as though you have many questions for me."

She pressed her lips together as she thought of the million questions she could ask, and one kept repeating itself in her mind. "You're supposed to be the embodiment of love, hope, and peace. What I don't understand is how you could do what you did to your own son."

He tilted his head back, surprised by her question that revolved around his own actions against Lucifer. "You were not there. You did not see what he was doing."

Chloe straightened herself up and turned to face the man beside her for the first time. "It doesn't matter. I'm a mother, and I can say for certain that there is absolutely nothing Trixie could ever do to make me turn my back on her. Nothing." It was like talking to a boulder.

God remained emotionless as she spoke, and he looked back out over onto the city. "I provided him an opportunity to redeem himself. He was acting out and did not take responsibility for his actions. I had hoped he would find something within himself as he watched the guilty punish themselves. That, maybe, he would realize he was wrong, see the same guilt in those he ruled as he saw in himself, ask for forgiveness, but he did not."

She watched God furrow his brow, thinking about the past, and she wanted to bring him back to the present. "He doesn't belong down there."

He slowly nodded and tightened his lips into a thin smile. "I know." From the stories Lucifer told her, he was more agreeable than she thought he would be. Chloe began to search deeper into his smile, wondering if this was all a plan to get closer to his son through her.

"God tells a human they can ask him anything. A majority would choose a question that would be advantageous to the self, but you choose to want answers for my son. That is exactly what makes you so special, Chloe. There is a light inside of you, and you need to embrace it."

"I do every day. Every day I make the right choices, I choose to do what is good, protect those who need protecting, and put the bad guys away."

He looked down to his lap, shaking his head. "We both know that is not the light I was referring to."

She bit down on the side of her tongue as she felt her eyes begin to well up with tears. Chloe thought of the light that burst out of her earlier that night in the abandoned factory. The black smoke that emitted from the demons was so vivid in her mind, and the sickening fear of hurting her friend still sat at the base of her stomach. Chloe brushed away a tear that was on the brink of falling down her cheek as she turned to God. "I don't want it. Please, I don't."

It was his first time seeing tears up close and personal. He found beauty in their shine off the lamppost from above and how gravity naturally let them flow down the outside of her cheeks. He returned a sympathetic smile, knowing there was nothing he could do to take it away. Chloe licked her lips in anticipation, hoping to get an answer. "Why me?"

God turned his body back to the city and entwined his fingers into one another, watching a simple shimmer of light come off one building. "I always found great beauty in this creation; in humanity, if I should be specific, but not all of my children saw it the same. Where my son saw greed, I saw passion. Where one saw lust, I saw love. They saw humans as sloths, I saw them as resourceful." He paused, smiling with pride as he looked over the city below him.

"It was never in my plan to have world peace. If everyone were to agree, there would be no progress in life. The world would not be where it is today without the challenges and disagreements it must endure to create growth. Now, I am not saying all good comes with this. There have been wars, betrayals, loss of lives, but that is the balance called life." His eyes slowly made their way down the dewy grass, and his lips turned down into a subtle frown.

"My two strongest sons lost their faith in humanity long before humans could even prove themselves worthy. It could have been a biased view, out of resentment, as this project took over my life, but I would like to think they were just ill-informed. My sons are stubborn, like their mother. I had hoped Samael would begin to see it with the guilty humans he had to interact with day in and day out, but this just reinforced his negative view of humans. Amenadiel, a very proud and headstrong son, could never see humans as something of worth as he was an angel. They never understood the complexity of human life and the world they deprived themselves of, and I feared they were never going to learn." His face grew dark, and his long pause made Chloe look in his direction, waiting.

"I had a premonition one day, a war between angels would begin in the next millennium. A war that could wipe out all of human existence. Everything I had worked so hard on, gone. The idea of my children fighting one another, killing one another- I knew I had to try to prevent it. I could not foresee how it began, but I had a sense of who started it."

Chloe held her folded arms together as she listened to the crickets in the distance sing. "You thought Lucifer was going to start the war."

He looked over to her to see Chloe's reaction, but she was impassive. From what he could tell, she was not outwardly judging him. "Can you blame me? He had already started one before. Samael had lost himself and became an angel that I did not recognize. He sees himself as evil, a sin, unworthy. He may not believe me, but I know my one true Samael, and I thought I could help him find himself once more. And that is where you came in." Chloe turned her body to face the man sharing a bench with her. She sat up straight, waiting for the answers that she had wanted since Lucifer told her about her blessing months ago.

"My son had visited Earth many times before, and each time he indulged in the worst parts of humanity, believing that was their true identity. I wanted my son to experience the true meaning; to question his own views on right versus wrong, good versus evil. I needed him to see that the world was not as black and white as he thought it to be. There is so much love in this world, and I thought if he was exposed long enough, he might start to love himself. My son needed someone that would challenge him and see him for who he truly is." God looked back over to Chloe, and she began to stop questioning the love he had for his son.

"To do that, you had to create someone that wouldn't fall for his charade. You created me to be immune to his powers."

He nodded along to Chloe piecing his plan together but held up a finger at the end to correct her. "Your parents created you, Chloe. I just provided a little push to move it along."

Her brows scrunched together in disbelief. "So, you're telling me that my powers came down from mom's side?" Her skeptical, sarcastic response made God smile. They're a good match, he thought to himself.

"No, not necessarily. Samael's abilities would penetrate any human, even the most guarded beings. For you to be immune, I had to add a celestial component to your existence."

Chloe looked down at the palms of her hands, remembering the burning sensation that created a beam of light. "What am I?" She whispered out her question into the darkness, but he did not respond. Chloe jerked her head up and found God glimpsing up into the night sky. Only the strongest of stars shined over the bright LA skyline, and he smiled, catching the shimmers of light.

"Did you know the Babylonians were the first civilization to find meaning in the stars? It was the greek emperors that created the stories of Gods and Goddesses to give a greater meaning to life itself."

Chloe rolled her eyes up slowly, not understanding the meaning behind his ill-timed trivia. "Yeah, but they're just stars, and those were just stories. I don't understand what this has to do with me?"

He cranked his neck back to view the different constellations above him from different angles. "Behind every lie, rumor, story- even the bible- there is always an origin of truth. Do you follow Greek mythology?" God looked back to her, and she stammered, not knowing where this was going.

"Um, I've seen Hercules a lot. I don't know if that counts. It was one of Trixie's favorite Disney movies when she was younger."

He returned a curious smile as a small breeze rustled the trees above their heads. "The Goddess of innocence, Astraea, was told to be a powerful woman in her time. She was the daughter of dusk and dawn. Astraea, or as some called her star-maiden, had a strong connection with fair judgment and justice when she was to have walked the Earth with men during the Golden Age. As times grew dark and Earth began to present walking forms filled with evil and wickedness, she was said to have run away into the night sky. She is now in the form of the constellation Virgo, shining one of the brightest stars."

As Chloe looked up into the stars, God lowered his eyes on her, and she felt a heavy presence wave through her body. "According to the stories, she will return to Earth one day to rid the world of its evil and end human suffering."

She turned her head to meet his eyes. "You made me from a star?" He watched her, waiting for a reveling reaction, but she sulked back into the bench, disappointed. "So, I'm a hot ball of gas? That's kind of lame."

"You are one of the most powerful forms of light, Chloe. Third to be exact."

She played with the ends of her jacket as she looked off in deep thought, absorbing this new information.

"When I forged existence with the strongest force of light, Goddess, we created an amazing, unexplainable world. We created life in the forms of mountains, rivers, oceans, foliage that we could never touch or enjoy. When we created our children, we took inspiration from the beauty before us. Azrael was created with parts of the darkest nights; Michael with the lava from Earth's mantle; Amenadiel with the rocks of the highest mountains; and Samael was inspired by the brightest star, the second strongest light, Polaris- the north star. I blessed you with a similar making to ensure you two would always be connected."

Chloe slowly repeated his words in a low tone as she stared off blankly. "Always be connected." The familiar stinging in her eyes returned, and she sat up, guarding herself off with her crossed arms. "Then it's true. We're not real. Everything we felt for each other was an illusion."

He tilted his head to the side, not understanding the pain in her voice, and he shook his head before speaking. "Two people can be connected in multiple different ways and meanings, Chloe. Humans commonly interchange fate and destiny, but there is a difference. No matter the choices someone makes or the path they choose, fate will provide a moment that was always supposed to be there. Now, with destiny, a person forges their own path and molds the life they want based on their own free will. You two meeting was fate, but we both know how unpredictable my son can be. I have tried and failed on multiple occasions, finally accepting that there is nothing I can do to control his actions."

He looked over to Chloe, hoping he eased her troubled mind, but her face was hard to read. "Can I ask you something?" She looked up at him, taking a break from her deep thoughts. "When you first met my son, would you say it was love at first sight?"

Chloe released a hard chuckle, playfully rolling her eyes to the side, remembering their dynamic in the beginning. "No, not even close. He was this insensitive, narcissistic jack-ass who only cared about how many women and drugs he could do in one night."

"What changed your view of him?"

Chloe sighed out a long breath as the corners of her lips twitched up into a reminiscent smile. "He did. Although I didn't believe it at the time, Lucifer never lied to me. He started to show a different side of himself to me, and I knew that was hard for him. He'd do one good thing and then take two steps back, but even when he played it off as something that benefited him, I knew there was good in him. In his own messed up way, he started to do some meaningful selfless things."

"And what if he never showed that side, continued to act as he always had been?"

Chloe shrugged, thinking of this alternative life. "I don't know. We'd probably be working on cases together, in some capacity still. Or he would have gotten bored of having to follow the rules or the fact that I kept refusing to sleep with him, and he probably would be moved on, and things would have gone back to normal."

"My son got bored with his life on Earth that I saw. He was willing to sacrifice his free will for a human's life; well, I did not think I would see that one. And that is my point. All of my son's choices were on his own accord, influenced or not. The only thing that I truly concocted was your first meeting. Everything that happened after that was up to you. It is like any two people meeting. They have the choice to continue and prosper the relationship into a friendship, partnership, enemies, lovers."

Chloe's small smile faded as she remembered her night before. "If that were true and all of this was on us, then how did he ignite me or whatever." It still felt odd for Chloe to think of herself as a part of the celestials, and she grew uncomfortable speaking about it out loud, even if no one was around.

"Chloe, you ignited yourself. My son may have helped as the Lightbringer, but once you were truly vulnerable and your guard was finally down, would that light come to you. You were born with a sense of duty- to serve and protect the world from evil. No one controls that power, but you. You released the evil my son saw in himself, you punish the evil acts humans perform, but you also rid the world of the evilest, vile creatures- demons. Your light is created from the pure love inside of you, and it is up to you to know how to harness it."

She guided her right hand over her heart, feeling for the steady, powerful beats in her chest. The crickets stopped chirping, and the wind calmed its breeze through the branches. For the first time, the Earth felt still. They both sat side by side, staring over the lit city, enjoying each other's comfortable silence.

Chloe's voice hummed out, breaking the silence of the world around them. "Do they know about me?"

He slowly nodded, eyeing a plane from above. "Yes. Some of the main points, but not all. They truly care for you." Chloe's face lightened at the thought of her friends worrying about her safety, and she began to feel immense guilt for the wall she chose to put back up. She looked over as God stood to his feet, brushing his hands against the back of pants to remove the dew that lingered on the bench.

He stopped himself from walking away and turned back to the woman sitting alone on the bench. "Oh, and if you are looking for your phone, I believe my son has it. I hope you know this is in no way of me motivating you to speak with my son, who is very worried about you. I am just informing you of where it can be found."

She hid a smile behind her light lips and mouthed out a silent, "Thank you."

* * *

The penthouse was dark and eerily silent as Chloe entered from the elevators. At first, she thought she was alone until her eyes scanned to the balcony, where she saw Lucifer's silhouette hunched over his railing, drinking from a scotch glass. He subtly looked over his shoulder at the sound of her light footsteps approaching from behind. She slid a hand across his back and found a place to rest beside him.

"Hey." Chloe's voice came out as a whisper, and she waited for him to respond, but he remained quiet. She pursed her lips together through the awkward, tense silence, trying to think of what to say. "I hear you have my phone."

Lucifer slid his free hand into his pocket and retrieved her phone while avoiding her stare. She lazily smacked her phone into the palm of her hand, trying to avoid the inevitable. "You're mad."

"Yeah." There was no anger or malice in his voice. He almost sounded exhausted. "I'm mad that Michael is doing this to us. I'm mad at the idea of Amenadiel losing his son. My father is in town; I don't think I need even to break that down. I'm mad that Lilith is up to her old tricks. I'm mad that Maze almost died tonight because of it. I'm mad at myself for coming back here and putting everyone in danger again. But most of all, I'm mad that you pushed me away. You refused to let me help you, and you don't know what I went through knowing you were scared and alone and from what it sounds like, on the brink of death."

Guilt riddled her body as she looked down to her feet, and he released a tired sigh, secretly relieved that she was okay and next to him. "Is Maze okay?"

He swallowed the last of his scotch and turned to walk back into his suite, done with the starry view from above. "She's fine."

Chloe followed behind to make a case for herself. "Lucifer, I was scared. I didn't want to hurt you."

He flung up his arms in the air, growing more frustrated. "And you don't think I was scared when I was losing control of my body. When my evil began to show itself, you refused to leave my side, and we figured it out together. Because that's what we do, Detective."

Chloe squeezed her fists closed at her sides, hating that she was the one to put him through this pain. His eyes were filled with ice, and she felt the distance grow between them. "That was different. You've always known the extent of what you are, and I know you would never hurt me. I didn't know what this was or how to control it. If you saw what I did tonight, what I did to those demons, you wouldn't want to come near me." Her eyes were pleading with him, but he remained cold, staring down at her.

"If that's what you think, then you obviously don't know me as well, I thought you did."

Her face began to turn a fiery red as her voice screeched out in fear. "I obliterated them, Lucifer. They no longer exist because of me; because of something that I didn't know how to control. You don't know what it felt like to think Maze was dead. To think I killed her. I was scared even to get close to her, to touch her. I knew she was okay when I heard her move, trying to get up, but I knew I couldn't be anywhere near her." She took in a deep breath, looking up to blink away any tears from forming as Lucifer's eyes slowly softened on her. Chloe stepped forward to lay her hands on his forearms, and she spoke calmly.

"To think about what I did to them, I could do to you. Of course, I was going to push you away. I'm sorry that I scared you and hurt you, but you have to understand I did it for you." Her touch had a way of soothing his worst spouts of anger and removing his most stubborn walls. He thought back to all of the times he protected her by pushing her away through their partnership and realized he knew exactly where she was coming from. The worry and care he had toward her throughout his day disguised itself as anger, a natural emotion for him to feel. Lucifer moved his arms back for her hands to naturally glide into his. His thumbs caressed the smooth back of her hands, and he tried to be considerate with his words. She began to relax at the sight of Lucifer melting before her, understanding where her fear came from.

"Detective, my father told me what you are."

"I know." He looked up from her hands and met her eyes, surprised that she was already informed and calm by the looks of it. "Your dad found me and told me everything." There was a light and a relieved smile on her lips that made Lucifer tilt his head to the side.

"You seem to be taking the news well?" He remembered the short responses his father told him about how Chloe was created, why she was immune to him, and what her powers entailed. His father was hard to crack for more details, but what he provided answered more than enough questions.

"He told me that we're real."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes to avoid the feeling of hope that crept up inside of him. By the look on Chloe's face, he knew his father shared more than just a simple answer with her, and she knew more than him. "And you believe him?"

She released her hands from his and gave a gentle tug on the ends of his suit jacket before letting them rest to her sides. "Yeah, I want to. Don't you?"

Lucifer didn't know what to respond as he felt like he was watching their relationship unfold like a movie in his head. His eyes moved back and forth, remembering the moments that brought him a feeling of invincibility and the moments that broke his heart.

Chloe stepped back, not knowing how to take his silence. He looked down in deep thought, and she swallowed hard, thinking maybe it wasn't what he wanted. Perhaps her fear was right; that he preferred the chase and drama that was their relationship, but now that he had the clarity, the thrill of it all was gone. He had proven to her more than enough times how much he cared and even shared the three words that were hard for him to speak. But, even with all of those actions, there was still a natural fear that lingered in her mind.

She took another step back, trying to fill any noise into the awkward, long silence. "You know, today's been a lot. I think that's an understatement, actually. Maybe I should just-" Lucifer walked forward, slowly filling the gap between them, and he pulled Chloe in close, holding the nape of her neck.

His kiss felt urgent and hard compared to his soft embraces from before. Relieved by his response, Chloe ran her hands up his chest and around his neck, pulling him in deeper. She held tightly onto the lapel of his suit jacket as they took steps back until Lucifer's back hit the wall. They both released their lips, searching for air as their foreheads pressed into one another.

All of the pain and betrayal Lucifer had felt once he had initially learned of Chloe's existence faded away. Whether his father was telling the truth or not, he wanted to believe they were real despite everything else. He cupped her face, watching the edge of her plump lower lip glisten from the moon's light.

Her hand laid over his heart, and she felt every beat race against her palm. Chloe received the answers she didn't know she needed that night, and because of it, she had never felt more connected to the man before her. As his hand met her cheek, she pushed off the tips of her toes to meet his lips, deepening their kiss once more.

Lucifer slid her jacket off her shoulders and onto the floor. As the buttons on his shirt slowly became undone, he lowered himself to grab all of her in one fell swoop. Her legs swung around his waist as he carried her back to his bed with the comforting light of the moon and stars encompassing them.


	11. Mr. Don Draper

The humid air was thick and heavy as she took in her first breath that morning. She inhaled a deep breath through her nose, waking to the uncomfortable temperature in the suite. The silk fitted sheet clung to her body, and her pillow felt damp with sweat. Pushing aside strands of hair that stuck to her forehead, Chloe opened her eyes slowly to the ceiling high above her. Her bare legs formed a P shape as she stretched her arms up above her head. A soft, smooth material tickled her chest as she squirmed in her spot, and her hands ran along with the white coat over her body. Propping herself up on her elbows, Chloe looked down at the intricate feathered detail on the wings that covered her breast, torso, and thighs.

Lucifer laid asleep on his stomach, his body sprawled out on his side of the bed. He hugged a pillow tight into his chest as he slept with his mouth slightly open. His wings spread out wide from his shoulder blades, and they laid comfortably over Chloe's body and off the bed. At his different, intense euphoria levels, Lucifer's wings would naturally unfurl during his time with Chloe, leaving him completely bare and open to her.

Either through their last time together or in their sleep, they both managed to kick all of the sheets off onto the floor. The balcony doors were closed, and an intense beam of sun angled in through the windows adding to the unbearable heat. Chloe slid her body out from under his right-wing, and she lightly tip-toed around the bed, looking for a sheet to cover herself. Even though they saw all of each other in more ways than one, she still felt the need to wrap herself up as she walked down the small steps from his bedroom. She searched the wall behind the bar for his thermostat and read 91°F/32°C. Her head rolled back, not understanding how she was surviving in this dense, secured heat as a drip of sweat rolled down her back.

Chloe looked back to Lucifer sleeping, but only caught a glimpse of his bare bottom face up. There was no sheen of sweat or any noticeable acts of discomfort from him, and it made her resent him slightly. She then realized that this temperature was probably a crisp spring day for the gates of Hell. He released a soft moan, and he uttered out a slur of nonsensical words as he turned his head to the other side of his pillow in a deep sleep. Playing around with the tablet on his wall, she opened the balcony doors a crack to ventilate the suite, and she made her way to the bathroom as she looked forward to a cold shower.

The sound of water jetting into life in the distance woke Lucifer out of his slumber. He planted his face into the pillow within his arms, releasing a low groan from not wanting to wake. With a simple roll of his shoulders, his wings retracted back into him, and he reached for his Rolex on the nightstand to read the time. Lucifer rolled onto his back and whipped his legs around to plant his feet onto the floor in a drowsy state, slowly rising from his bed. He felt as if he were walking through a funhouse as he took his first steps into his suite, waking his senses. His lightheadedness disappeared by the time he reached his leather couch in search of his morning robe. He found his robe curled up in a ball at the base of one of his bookshelves, and he smirked, remembering how it ended up here from the night before.

By the time he tied the robe around his waistline, the elevator doors were opening, and Amenadiel stepped through eagerly looking for his brother. "Luci, where have you-" The angel stopped at the penthouse's sight in disarray. His eyes slowly scanned from left to right.

A few books were scattered on the floor, torn out from a bookcase. The piano bench was knocked over onto its side, and four glasses sat on top of the grand piano, all with different lines of liquor. A few cushions sat out of place on the couch, and a painting on the wall beside the tv hung crooked. Random articles of clothing flung over some of the furniture and stray white feathers laid around the base of his bed.

"Good morning, Amenadiel. What disaster should I be looking forward to this time?"

Amenadiel closed his mouth and looked back to Lucifer, who stood casually in the middle of it all. "What happened here?"

Lucifer quickly kicked Chloe's bralette, which peeked out from under the couch, out of sight. "Are you here to criticize my upkeep, or is there a pressing matter?" He walked over to his piano, sniffed one of the scotch glasses, and poured the other three glasses together to make his own strong, mixed cocktail.

"I was worried about you. You didn't seem like you were in a good place last time I saw you, and I haven't heard from you since then."

Lucifer didn't understand the look of concern on his brother's face and thought of him as over-sensitive. "You just saw me last night. I know you may think we had a moment because I called you my family, but I didn't think you would get this clingy."

Amenadiel began to shake his head and wore a face mixed with confusion and concern. "No, Luci, you saw me two nights ago. I've been calling you and haven't heard from you in over a day. I started to worry about some of the things you'd do to find Chloe." Lucifer jutted out his chin, trying to remember his time of the past two days. From what he remembered, he was too preoccupied even to notice the sky's transition from day to night. It became a beautiful, unregretted blur. Amenadiel narrowed his eyes on his brother as he watched Lucifer stare off with a goofy grin. "You do know it's been two days, right?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Yes, of course." Lucifer diverted his eyes away from his brother, trying his best to look aware of his almost missing day. "No need to worry about me, but thanks for checking in." His eyes darted back to the sound of a shower running and hoped his brother would find his way out sooner.

"You seem very calm. Are you alright? After everything that's been happening, I was sure you'd be-"

"I'm fine. Just had some tension that needed to be released, that's all." Lucifer made his way around his bar and began tampering with his espresso machine. His shoulders tensed as he watched Amenadiel walk deeper into the suite, taking a seat in the closest leather chair. He hoped his brother's visit would not be extended. Lucifer casually poured coffee beans into the grinder above and watched his machine produce a chalk-like powder of coffee into his portafilter.

"I know you're probably worried right now about Chloe, and it's completely understandable. I know it's hard for you sometimes to ask for help, but I wanted to do my part." Lucifer plugged the filter into the machine, placing two small coffee cups below. As the machine hummed into life, Lucifer turned around to face his brother, not knowing where this conversation was going. "I spoke with Dan yesterday. He said Chloe called into work sick, but-" Amenadiel writhed in his seat uncomfortably from a bulge in the cushion. He yanked out a red bomber jacket from the side of the chair, and Lucifer waited for his brother to slowly put the pieces together.

"This is Chloe's." His thumbs traced over the polyester material, remembering her in this jacket two days ago. Amenadiel released an elevated, "Oh," realizing she had come back at some point to find Lucifer. He scanned the room before him once more in deep thought. His eyes landed on his brother, who wore his robe loosely, accenting the small, circular bruising on his chest and down his abdomen, and he produced a dazed, "Oh." Dropping the jacket to the floor and popping up from the chair as if it were hot lava, Amenadiel spoke one final short, "Oh."

Lucifer insecurely closed the lapel of his robe together tightly to hide the light purple hickeys that trailed down his body. His brother uncomfortably stepped farther away from the furniture, looking ready to sanitize his entire body. "So, you two- you- um-" Amenadiel stammered his words out as he uncomfortably itched the edge of his cheek with his pointer finger. In his past, Lucifer did not shy away from sharing the details of past conquests and adventures. But Chloe wasn't a conquest. He grew unforthcoming when it came to the intimate moments between him and the detective, whether physical or not.

The coffee began to pour out of both ends of the filter and into the cups. The brothers stood in awkward silence, avoiding one another's eyes. Lucifer cleared his throat nervously, trying to find a more dominant voice. "There's no need for you to act so disconcertedly. You are a father last time I checked. You are aware of how Charlie was made unless the Doctor is our very own Virgin Mary?"

There was a strained roll to Amenadiel's eyes as they slowly looked up to the ceiling. Lucifer slightly turned his head to listen for the shower, and he chose to speed up his current conversation before Chloe unknowingly walked out. "Speaking of father, I'm assuming he's gone by now?"

Amenadiel cleared his throat, happy that the conversation was changing topic. "I actually think your words got to him. He said he was going to take care of Michael for us if that was our wish." He paused, starting an impatient sway in his stance. "But I don't know. I feel like I should be doing something still."

"What you should be doing is nothing. If dad says he's going to do it, then let him take care of our brother. Go to a movie, take a week-long nap, or go- go- hm, I actually don't know what you do when you're not bothering me. Go do that."

Amenadiel inched a foot closer to the bar in hopes that his brother would be open to his new idea. "Or maybe we go find fath-"

Lucifer quickly swatted his finger across the air, not letting his brother finish his sentence. "No. Brother, you can do whatever your desire may be, but I'm out. I can't actually. I've got to go to work. The detective and I talked and agreed that maybe we need a break from the celestial world, and we're going to focus a little more on this world." He produced a lofty grin, taking one of the small coffee cups to his lips.

"So, this was Chloe's decision, and you just listened."

Lucifer paused, diverting his eyes away from his brother. He ignored the smirk on Amenadiel's lips. "I prefer my version."

"Luci, she's a part of our world now. She always has been apparently. You know that she can't just shut off that world. I didn't think you would allow her to avoid it this easily, especially for it being so new."

Lucifer placed his cup down and made his way around the bar to relieve his piano bench from its state. "I'm just supporting her in what she wants to do. Simple as that. If I'm honest, I wouldn't mind a break as well. There have been enough surprises these past couple of days, and I wouldn't mind having things go back to normal."

Amenadiel was silent, watching his brother slowly straighten up his home. He knew the events that recently took place were an emotional toll on Lucifer, even if he didn't speak or show it all the time. The shower's handle squeaked shut, and the comforting running water that filled the background noise came to an end. Lucifer turned around after kneeing in an offset cushion on his couch and looked back to the bathroom's direction. The two brothers shared a short and all-knowing look before Amenadiel gave a final nod, removing himself from a potentially uncomfortable situation.

* * *

The home could easily be mistaken for a museum. The marble floors continued up the walls creating a cold, sterile home ambiance. Modern sculptures stood tall, waiting to be analyzed every six feet, and abstract art hung along the walls, giving color to the mundane hallway. One side of the hall bore floor to ceiling windows that looked out over a Japanese rock garden, private and secluded.

Lucifer forgot he was in LA as soon as he stepped into this home, and he couldn't wrap his head around the different themes at every corner. His steps behind Chloe slowed as they entered a foyer-type space focused on the marble spiral staircase leading up into, what Lucifer thought was, Heaven. The stairs looked never-ending as they towered up to the second floor. This modern home was an experiment at best for an architect, he thought to himself. Lucifer looked back down to find himself standing alone in the eerie home, and he picked up his step to finding his partner.

"Hey, Chlo. How are you feeling? I heard you had a bad stomach bug." Ella held her camera in her hands, and she took one final picture of the bullet wounds in the man's chest. The flash made Lucifer jut his eyes open as he walked into the main living space. Chloe pulled out her latex gloves as she did a quick walk around the body on the marble floor, and Ella watched in concern.

"I'm feeling better. It was one of those 24-hour bugs- just had to get it out of my system."

Lucifer pressed his lips together, trying his best to hide his devilish smirk, but his eyes gave him away. Kneeling to the man's side, Chloe quickly shot Lucifer a pair of warning eyes, and he turned his back to wander around the space.

"Ugh, those are the worst. One time in middle school, I remember I had to give this presentation, and I was so nervous, I thought I was going to puke. There was a bug going around the school, but I ended up puking in the middle of the presentation, and this little shrimp popper from lunch came right back up with it, just sitting there in the middle. Never had those suckers again."

Chloe wore a mild look of disgust on her face as Ella stared off into the corner of the room, remembering her last spats of stomach bugs. Refocusing her friend's attention, Chloe subtly pointed down to the body between them for more details.

"Oh, right. Here lies Ewan Cattenach. He was shot three times in the chest. It was a complete through and through, but no signs of the casings yet." Chloe looked off to her left, assuming the bullet casings were hidden somewhere within the vast space.

Lucifer held his hands comfortably behind his back as he joined the group. "I'm assuming our little murderer broke in?" He looked around at the back doors being powdered for fingerprints, but there was no answer. Ella scanned through the images she recently took on her camera with an icy cold stare.

Lucifer and Chloe shared a glance of concern before Chloe spoke. "Ella, was there forced entry?"

Ella looked up with a smile to the detective and placed her camera down. "Great question, Chloe. Not that we can find so far, but this place is huge."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes on Ella as she turned her body to ignore his towering presence next to her. He leaned in to speak clearer. "So, we could assume that Ewan here knew his murderer if that's the case."

Ella's eyes darted down to the body in deep thought, and she lifted her finger as if a light bulb clicked on above her head. "I think we can assume at this point that Ewan knew his killer."

Lucifer gave a confused looked to Chloe across from him, and he began to snap his fingers around Ella's ear. "Is this thing on? Am I missing something?" Ella stayed silent, and Chloe gave a small shrug, not understanding what was happening. "Miss Lopez, did I do something to offend you?" Lucifer took a step back, surprised by how quickly Ella turned her head.

"I just find it funny that I leave you alone with Michael, and I never hear from him again." Her camera hung heavy around her neck, and her arms grew guarded across her chest. "It's been five days and nothing. What did you say to him?"

"Michael isn't returning your calls? That's fantastic news. Detective, are you hearing this?" Chloe immediately glued her lips closed and hoped he could read her deadpan stare. His smile gleamed brighter, making Ella more infuriated.

"Fantastic? What about this is fantastic? I really liked him, Lucifer. I trusted that you, my friend, wouldn't want to sabotage something that was important to me. Now, what did you say to him?" Chloe began to tune out the conversation before her, trying to refocus her attention on the case. They had not been here for more than 10 minutes, and the conversation was already swaying back into the celestial world. She knelt to see a tan line on Ewan's left ring finger where a wedding ring would call home.

"I didn't say anything, I can assure you. He did most of the talking if anything. You're better off without him; trust me. I'm actually quite offended that you think I'd do something like that." Chloe left the bickering coworkers and found her way to a life-size portrait hanging above a set of two accent chairs and a cello propped up, waiting to be played.

"Well, from where I'm standing, it's hard not to think that. I thought you were better than this." Ella couldn't look Lucifer in the eyes and kept her fragile face staring into his chest.

He lifted his chin as he tried to mask the impudent look on his face, and his voice sank to a darker tone. "Miss Lopez, I'm sorry you're hurting right now, but I believe your hate is misplaced. It is Michael's choice not to contact you. Even if I did say horrible things, which I did not, it would be his choice to listen and disregard your feelings. I stand by what I said earlier, that it's fantastic he's gone. If he is going to treat you like this, then he doesn't deserve you."

Ella's knuckles met her hip bones as she moved into a power stance, offended by Lucifer's attempt to make her see the bigger picture. "No, that's not true. He's not like that. You never got to see the man that I saw. Lucifer, you don't know him like I do. You don't even know him, period." Her tongue was sharp against the roof of her mouth, and the room could feel the heat behind her words.

Chloe turned her head to look back in their direction, surprised by Ella's reprimanding voice, and she waited for Lucifer's response. He could have easily told her that he did know Michael that there was a long history- too long to share on a given day. Lucifer's chest heaved up as if he were about to give a long and heavy rebuttal, but he paused. His chest deflated, and he sucked in his upper lip, biting it closed, holding in the secrets he wanted to keep from his optimistic and faith-loving friend. The pause was growing longer, causing Chloe to break the uncomfortable, tense silence.

"Who is this?" Ella turned around to view the portrait of a couple together on a private beach. A woman of Indian descent sat with her legs crossed over one another on a hand-crafted, wooden bench. Her thin arm crossed her chest, and her hand held Ewan's, that laid comfortable on her shoulder. He stood tall behind her, double her size, and they both had small, content smiles on their lips. The deep red, silk saree with gold embellishments popped in the sandy setting, and the dainty hand on Ewan accented the giant engagement ring and simple wedding band set on her ring finger.

Lucifer took advantage of the much-needed distraction, and he chose to exit the room to explore the rest of the home while Ella wasn't looking. Chloe's eyes followed him out, concerned, as Ella took long strides to make it across the large, open room to view the portrait closer. "That would be Ananya, the wife. She's the one that called it in."

Chloe took a glance around the room to look for her, possibly giving a statement, but she could not be found. "Where is she?"

"On a flight back from India. She and her sister were visiting family in New Delhi. She's been out of town for over a week." Ella grabbed a thin notepad from her pocket given to her by an officer that took her virtual statement and handed it to Chloe. "She was getting worried when Ewan wasn't answering her calls, so she checked in on the home surveillance and found him. So sad, right?" She made a gesture with her fingers to imply they were being watched from above.

"Home surveillance. Okay, so we can get a look at that and find out who our killer is. Is there a security room?"

Ella perked up, looking accomplished. "Already ahead of you, Chloe. The team is packing it up as we speak and sending it back to the precinct for review." An officer from a corner across the room picked up a casing with a pencil and called for assistance from Ella.

Chloe stayed in the room and assisted the officers with their findings and reviewed their written notes. Footsteps approached the room, and she hoped it was her partner, but she instead watched the medical examiners walk in with a gurney and a black bag for transport. She ventured around the corner and began peeking a look inside the different doors around the maze-like home in search of Lucifer. A short time had passed since he left, but it felt longer to her. As she reached for the next handle, the door swung open quickly, making both Chloe and Lucifer spring up in surprise.

"Lucifer!" Chloe held her hand over her chest, feeling the quick beats of her shocked heart slow in pace. He held a glass of whiskey in his hand as he straightened one end of his suit jacket.

"I found the bar, finally." He looked back over his shoulder to the glass themed room that highlighted a floor to ceiling aquarium with exotic fish swimming around different coral. "Did you know this place has a bowling alley?" He stared off over her shoulders as an idea began to form. "Maybe I should get one."

Before the glass brim met his lips, Chloe pulled the drink out from his hand. She popped her head in the space to find an end table to set the glass down on and pulled Lucifer out of the room by his jacket. "I've never seen or heard you talk about bowling before."

"Maybe that's because I don't have one- yet."

Chloe looked up and down the long marble hallway, trying to keep her voice low as she recognized Lucifer's voice echo off the stone. "Are you alright? Things with Ella seemed..."

"Unnecessary?" Lucifer cocked an annoyed brow and looked back in the direction of the room with the body.

"I was going to say tense. I don't think I've ever seen you two fight before."

He shook his head, denying himself of the interaction that recently took place. "That wasn't a fight. It was more like a misunderstanding." Chloe took a step closer to him and laid a hand on his forearm in hopes that it would make his stubborn denial disappear. "I'm sure Miss Lopez will come around. She's probably stuck under Michael's spell, somehow, and it will just wear off like a bad hangover. You'll see."

It wasn't hard for her to see the hate that still lingered for his brother behind his tight-lipped grin. Lucifer looked down at her knowing she could easily see the feelings he tried so hard to suppress. His eyes softened on her, and the deeper he stared into her eyes, the shorter her breaths became; and Chloe's fingertips gripped a little harder into his arm. It was effortless for them to fall back into one another, and they soon forgot where they were standing. Quick footsteps from around the corner made Chloe jump back, forcing herself back into reality.

Ella turned the corner with a wheeled briefcase of her gear in tow. "Oh! Hey, I didn't see you there. This place is like a labyrinth!"

"Mmhmm." Chloe nervously nodded her head along, taking another step back until her heels hit the wall.

"We got one bullet casing, which should be a big help. I'm going to head back and get started. Are you guys following? I don't think there's much more here."

Chloe crossed her arms, continuing her nervous nods. "Yeah, we'll be right behind you." Avoiding Lucifer again, Ella smiled in Chloe's direction and walked off with her case rolling behind her on the marble flooring. The partners both watched her walk out of sight before looking back to one another.

Lucifer displayed a playful grin across his face as he leaned back onto the door behind him, and his hand maneuvered the handle open. He gestured his head back, inviting her to follow him into the private room. The corner of her lip twitched up into a yearning smile, but she quickly snapped herself out of it. "We are working a case."

She forced stern eyes on him as Lucifer gestured his head back once more, opening the door wider. He looked up and down the hallway, presenting his case that no one was around. Chloe reached over his arm, closing the door behind him. "Lucifer, there is a dead body right-" She soon stopped as she had to move for the medical examiners.

The examiners rolled the stretcher between Chloe and Lucifer, watching their feet. Both of their eyes followed the black zipped up bag moving closer to them, between them, and then farther away- out the door. Ewan's body was officially out of the home.

Lucifer raised his brows, waiting for her next rebuttal as Chloe took a step back from him. She watched him subtly trace his eyes up and down her body, and she swallowed hard, following his gaze back to her face. She nervously itched behind her ear as she looked around the hallway for any officers. "Ten minutes."

He looked offended, opening his mouth slightly. "Thirty."

"Fifteen." Her voice dropped lower, not realizing this was going to be a bigger debate.

With a cocky smile, Lucifer put all of his weight down on the door handle and swung it open for Chloe to walk through. "I only needed the ten, but you'll need the five for recovery."

She tried her best to hide her smile, walking into the room, and Lucifer popped his head out into the hallway one last time to check if anyone saw them before closing the door.

* * *

As the doorbell chimed, Lucifer winced at the sound of a toddler screeching its cries out into the house. "I think I'll wait in the car." Chloe held out her hand to stop him from leaving her on the front porch of the craftsman styled home.

Through their research, they found Ananya's alibi checked out, and her records indicated that she was on a flight back to LA from India. The home surveillance wasn't as forthcoming as they thought. The estimated time the murder took place happened to be wiped clean from the surveillance history. A camera would focus on the empty marble floor, and the next second, Ewan was lying dead on his back.

As they explored Ewan's past, friends, coworkers, and finances, Chloe found a hidden bank account that received a lot of activity. It belonged to a Euan Cattanach. Lucifer pointed out the traditional Scottish origins, which led them to find two separate passports for dual citizenship for the United States and the United Kingdom, both with the same face. Ewan had two different forms of identity and two separate active bank accounts.

The Ewan Cattenach they initially met belonged to the cold home with endless hallways. He worked as the Chief Security Officer for Worldwide Bank, traveling all over the world when needed at their numerous global locations. Ewan and Ananya celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary two months ago, and he took her to the Amalfi Coast for two weeks. According to his coworkers, he was dedicated to his job and loved by all who knew him.

The Euan Cattanach that they discovered was funneling money out of his career at Worldwide Bank into a separate bank account under his other alias. The identity, passport, and bank account were created eight years ago, and the money helped fund a loft apartment in downtown LA for three years; and then a five-bedroom home in Mar Vista soon after. They found traces of cash distributed to a private school, a music academy, and recreational sports.

The front door opened to golden blond beauty. She was tall and fair-skinned with doll-like round eyes that shined its hazel color in the midday sunlight. Her tall and slender body hid behind a pair of yoga pants and an oversized men's t-shirt. "Can I help you?"

Chloe held up her badge to put the woman's judging, scared eyes to rest, and Lucifer took a step back at the sight of the crying toddler clinging to the woman's hip. "I'm Detective Decker with the LAPD. I was looking to speak with the owner of the home?"

"He's not here right now. Can I ask what this is about?" She bobbed her body impatiently, trying to make her daughter's tantrum disappear.

"We were looking to speak with him about Ewan Cattenach." The woman's bobbing came to a stop as her eyes darted between the two partners, confused.

"Euan? My husband?" Both Chloe and Lucifer tilted their heads to the side in curiosity and confusion. The woman looked over her shoulder back into the home, worried. "Can we move this inside? I'm sorry, my kids are swimming in the backyard, and I need to be back there."

They walked through the naturally lit home, following the blond throughout the open layout. She stood at the sliding glass door, popping her head out to scream, "Carter, no running!" Chloe was more impressed with this home as it was a family home. The neutral furniture didn't take the guests' eyes away from the brightly colored decorations on floating shelves and bookcases. Kid toys were spread across the floor, and a small pillow fort was left to ruins in the corner. The kitchen had a stack of plates and pans in the sink. Every inch of the countertops was covered in food, coloring paper, or stains. The place was a chaotic mess.

"I'm sorry the place is a mess. It's just one of those days." From the overwhelming clutter and bright colors in every view, it was easy to miss the large portrait that leaned against the mantle wall. Lucifer gave a small nudge to Chloe, and they both looked up at the familiar faced Ewan in a blue suit hand in hand with the blond beauty in a strapless wedding gown. The photo was taken as they walked down the aisle after saying their "I Dos." Their families cheered them on as they made their first steps as a married couple. They both stared up at the happy couple with narrowed eyes, not understanding.

"Is this your husband?" A large splash from the backyard pulled the woman's attention away, and she rolled her eyes in an aggravated state.

"Carter, I said no, running! Yes, he's out of town right now for work. I don't know when he'll be back, but I'd be happy to let him know that you stopped by." She noticed the small look the partners shared, and she felt the pit of her stomach turn.

"I'm sorry. You are his wife? And these are your offspring together?" Lucifer spread his hand out to show the two other children swimming in the pool out back.

The woman narrowed her eyes, watching the constant look of confusion on her visitor's faces. "Yes. I'm Quinn Cattanach. I've been his wife for seven years now. Can someone just tell me, why are you here? I'm starting to get worried."

Chloe stepped forward as her face grew more grave. "Mrs. Cattanach, I think we should go somewhere more private."

"No, just tell me!" Her body began to ring out in fight or flight, her gut telling her that something was wrong. Quinn's eyes began to well up with tears as Chloe and Lucifer just stared back at her. "He's dead, isn't he?" She swayed her daughter in her arms more erratically, patting her on the back to soothe the cries that stopped minutes ago.

"Why would you say that, Quinn?" Chloe crossed her arms, eyeing the blond like a guilty suspect.

Quinn's bottom lip trembled, and she looked up to her ceiling to prevent the tears from streaming down her face. "I told him. He said I was insane- that I was paranoid, but I told him. You should always listen to your gut. Always! I could have stopped it."

Chloe held up her hand as Quinn's voice became more shrill. "Slow down. Tell us what's going on. What could you have stopped?" Quinn immediately pushed her toddler into Lucifer's arms and rushed to the cluttered desk in the corner of the room.

"No. Please." Lucifer peeled his head back, not knowing what to do with the child in his hands. He turned to Chloe to hand off the toddler like a hot potato, but she was already following Quinn across the room. Extending his arms out the farthest they could from his body, Lucifer held the toddler between his hands, watching its legs dangle lifelessly. He cringed as the creature's small, sticky hands curiously touched his ring and fingers.

Coloring books and stacked magazines stumbled to the side as Quinn explored the desk drawers for her tablet. "Here." Loading it into life, Quinn swiped through a series of photos from the street in front of her home. "They've been watching us for months now."

"Who are 'they'?" Chloe took the tablet into her own hands and found the same black four-door Mercedes-Benz sedan parked in the street at different spots and times.

"I don't know. Their windows are tinted. I can never see in, but they just sit there, watching. I've shown Euan, and he said that it's nothing- just a neighbor's friend visiting. I know that's not true because I asked around. We live in a close-knit neighborhood. We've all seen this car here."

Chloe tilted her head to the side to try to get a look of the license plate, but the distance and camera angles made it seem impossible to read. "Did you get a plate off of the car?"

Quinn quickly wiped a tear off her cheek and lit up at the reminder. "Yes! Hold on. I know it's in here." Her hands scattered around the loose pieces of papers in the disorganized drawers trying to find the plate number, but it all was blending so easily. Chloe looked over her shoulder to look back at Lucifer, who was more than preoccupied, trying to find a place to sit the toddler down. "I can't find it. I know it was in here."

Chloe handed her tablet back and gave an understanding smile to Quinn. The blond looked as if she were barely holding herself together before she heard that her husband was dead, but Chloe knew once they left, she would completely fall apart. "Quinn, I need to ask, where were you this morning between 6:00 am, and 8:00 am."

"I was getting my kids ready for school. I volunteer as a carpool mom for the kids in this neighborhood. All of the parents see and talk to me every morning when they bring their kids out to my car."

Chloe nodded, watching Quinn's eyes frantically search the floor as she remembered her morning. "If I could have a list of those parents, that would be very helpful."

Quinn removed another tear that rested on the edge of her cheek. "Of course. Wait, I'm sorry. This morning? You need my alibi for this morning? Was Euan killed in LA? He's supposed to be in Glasgow today. I don't understand."

Chloe felt the pity look in her eyes take over, and she quickly shook her head before Quinn could read her. She could easily tell her that her husband is also married to another woman across town, but Chloe felt her compassion take over at the sight of Quinn. "This case is still very new and under active investigation. Until more details come to light, I can't share that with you just yet. But I will." Chloe handed her card over to Quinn. "I would appreciate those photos, and if you end up finding that plate number, please send it my way. Don't hesitate to call me if there's something else you remember."

Chloe and Lucifer slammed their car doors shut behind them. Gripping the wheel tighter in her grasp, Chloe looked back to the home. "I couldn't do it."

Lucifer squirted a large amount of hand sanitizer onto his palm and moved his hands wildly together. "Couldn't tell her that her husband was living a double life? It's kind of impressive if you ask me."

Chloe leaned back into her driver seat and rolled her head over in Lucifer's direction. "How did he do it? The constant stress of accidentally exposing yourself, the idea of hurting the people you love. I couldn't do it."

Out of the side of his eye, Lucifer watched Chloe fall into deep, sober thought. Her point of wanting to come back to work so quickly was to pull herself away from the celestial world, and he knew her thoughts were right back there again. "You know what I couldn't do? Wear this suit for the rest of the day. Can we stop back at my place for a quick wardrobe change and possibly three scolding showers to rid myself of that offspring smell."

With a soft chuckle, Chloe snapped out of her deep thoughts and brought her car to life. "I'm dropping you off and going back to work. That's it. I won't let you distract me again."

* * *

"Where have you guys been?" Ella impatiently waited for the two partners to show as she paced outside of one of the interrogation rooms. "I've been trying to reach you for like two hours."

Chloe quickly pulled her hair back into a bun as Lucifer followed quickly behind her. "Sorry, Ella. We're here. What's up."

"Ananya's plane landed over an hour ago, and she was immediately escorted here. She's in interrogation room A waiting for you." Ella handed the file over to Chloe before storming off back to her lab.

"It looks like we're both in trouble with Miss Lopez now."

Chloe quickly scanned the file in front of her for a quick refresh before meeting wife number one as Lucifer watched Ella's anger move across the precinct floor. "Me in trouble? No, you're the one in trouble with her, and you're really not helping the cause by distracting me."

"Distract you? From what I remember, Detective, you're the one that tackled me in the elevator."

Chloe snapped the file closed and headed toward the room. "I did not tackle you. It was a light push. But if you didn't do that thing with your eyes, we wouldn't be in this mess."

He stopped her hand on the door handle. "I didn't do a thing with my eyes."

She clutched the file to her chest tighter, watching the tease in his smile. "You're doing it right now." There was a stirring heat in his eyes as he looked down on her, and she could feel her heart pound heavier against her chest.

"Staring at you? Is that the eye thing you're referring to? If that's all, it takes at this point then…" Lucifer paused, brightening his smile as a thought came to light. "... then I still got it."

Chloe smacked his hand out the way with the file and pushed her way into the room where Ananya sat patiently waiting. "Mrs. Cattenach, I apologize for the wait." Lucifer silently closed the door behind him and took his seat beside Chloe. "I'm Detective Decker and this Lucifer, LAPD Consultant. How are you doing?"

"I've had a long flight to process everything. I think I'm still in shock."

Chloe nodded along and opened the file in front of her. "I know an officer already took your statement, but can you walk me through what happened?" Ananya politely nodded, and she looked down at the table, trying hard to remember the turn of events.

"I was already on my flight home, and I was growing worried that my husband wasn't answering my calls. We typically check-in with each other when we're traveling. It had been over a day since I last heard from him. I tried calling him when I was arriving at the airport. I must have left him at least a dozen voicemails. My anxiety got to the best of me, and I logged into our home surveillance to see if he was home. At least I would have peace of mind knowing he was alive, but what I saw- I- it was horrible." Her voice was soft and uninflected as she spoke.

"And what time was this?" Chloe read along in the transcript within the file, finding Ananya's response to be the same.

"It was late. I think we were flying over Japan when I checked home early this morning here. I think it was around 11:30 pm, my time." Ananya took the hands that rested in her lap up onto the metal table, waiting for more questions.

Before Chloe could lead with her next question, Lucifer sat up. "You already took your ring off." He made a small gesture to point everyone's eyes down to the bare ring finger. Lucifer studied her face as Ananyan was surprised by this.

"Oh. Yes. I never travel with it. I always believe it draws the wrong attention my way. It can be dangerous for a woman to be traveling alone sometimes. It's at home, safe." Her right hand subtly covered her left as she waited for the next round of questions.

"But, you were traveling with your sister, correct?"

Ananya sat up straighter in her chair, looking to her right. "Yes, Amada and I were traveling together. Does she need to be here too?"

Chloe closed the file and slowly shook her head. "No, your flight checks out for itself. I know this must be hard for you. Experiencing what you saw stuck on a flight, being asked a lot of questions, and probably jetlagged on top of it. This is all a part of the process, so I apologize if this is a lot." Ananya unenthusiastically smiled in appreciation back to Chloe. "Can you think of anyone that would want to hurt your husband, Mrs. Cattenach?"

She slowly shook her head, biting the corner of her lip. "No. Ewan was a very loved man. I don't think he had a single mean bone in his body. He was the one to break up fights, not start them."

"Do you know anyone that would have access to your surveillance? Someone that would be able to erase footage?"

Ananya pursed her lips to the side as she thought. "No. All of that footage is automatically backed up in the cloud. Other than Ewan and me, I guess the company that installed it? I've provided everything I could to the police." A short pause filled the room.

"We did find something interesting in your husband's financial records. Do you know anything about a second bank account under his formal Scottish name- Euan?"

Ananya furrowed her brow as she tried to think back to any mention of this before. "No, I'm sorry. I feel like I'm no help right now. Ewan managed all of our finances." Their suspect held her forehead in stress and defeat.

Chloe and Lucifer shared a small glance at one another, waiting for one of them to ask another question, but they were done. "Again, we are sorry for your loss. I can assure you; we have a great team working on this. Do you need an officer to escort you home, or maybe a hotel?"

Ananya stood quickly, clutching her purse tightly against her stomach. "My sister should be arriving soon to pick me up." With a few polite nods, Chloe and Lucifer escorted Ananya out of the room and toward the elevators to exit.

Once the doors closed behind her, Lucifer turned back around, dropping his head. "That was pointless. We still have no leads to a case that I thought was beginning to be interesting and now-" Lucifer stopped at the look of fright on Chloe's face. She pressed her lips closed, and her body stood frozen. He looked over his shoulder to track her view and landed on Dan in the conference room. "Detective, what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's them." She pushed passed Lucifer and walked through the crowded precinct floor, ignoring the questions Lucifer asked along the way.

Dan placed one final headshot up on his whiteboard before turning around to greet the new set of eyes staring. "Crazy, am I right? It's a case of a lifetime." Chloe slowly walked up to the whiteboard, and her eyes scanned the photos, remembering each person vividly in her mind.

"Is it now?" Lucifer tried to make sense of what was happening as Chloe remained silent. The look on her face, the way her body stood eerily still, ran a chill down his back.

Chloe looked to the nurse, the security officer, the young teenager, Aria, and finally, the utility worker. She felt like she was transported back in time to the night in the dark, red room with a slow blink. She thought she could smell the mold once more, and a flash of light made her open her eyes quickly again. Chloe looked around her shoulder to ensure she was back in the precinct's conference room. She felt Lucifer's eyes on the back of her neck, and she kept her focus on the utility worker's face as Dan continued to speak out.

"Get this- a couple of kids were fooling around, going into these old, abandoned factories in the south, and they went into this room and found all of these people dead! How insane is that? The weirdest thing is there is zero connection between anyone in that room. I have a feeling it's going to be a very interesting case. But, hey guy living a double life is cool too, I guess." Dan's teasing laughter faded as he read the room.

Chloe remained silent, staring at the photos on the board as Lucifer's face relaxed into clarity. Noticing the look on Dan's face, Lucifer stepped forward, trying to divert the attention away from her. "It sounds a lot like Father Kinley's cult. Maybe it's more simple than you thought."

"That did cross my mind, but this is different. Maybe a satanic cult?"

Lucifer perked up at the sound of Dan's theory. "That sounds right up my alley. The Devil is at your service."

Dan looked over to Chloe, waiting for her to chime in. "Chloe, what do you think?" She turned at the sound of her name, and Dan leaned back in awe at the sight of her trance-like state.

"Excuse me." Chloe quickly made her way out of the conference room, and they both watched her exit, not knowing what to say. Holding up a finger to Dan, Lucifer followed behind her, double-stepping his way up the precinct stairs.

He passed a row of filing cabinets, peeking his head into the small offices along the narrow hallway. The 9x9 rooms were centralized to the different corporals and sergeants of the precinct, and each office blended into one as his eyes kept scanning the same beige carpet and walls. Lucifer stopped at one office once home to Sergeant Coleman. The nameplate was still stuck onto the door that was cracked open an inch. He pressed the door open and found Chloe standing in the corner, looking down over the main street of LA.

Lucifer looked around the empty and dull office before closing the door behind him. He leaned against the desk, where a dual monitor once sat, remembering this was the sergeant he helped into early retirement not too long ago. A single slit of a window was enough to bring in the natural light as the sun started to meet the edge of the west coast. "So, those were the demons."

"Those were people, Lucifer. People that had a life and families."

He looked down at his shoes after hearing the misery in her voice. "You didn't do that to them if that's what you're thinking. Lilith-"

"I know." She folded her arms and turned as she leaned her back against the wall. Chloe knew their original death was not due to her, but she still felt a string of guilt run through her knowing she harmed their bodies, even if their souls were gone. "There will come the point where we can't keep blaming these odd, mysterious things happening on cults or weird accidents. What if Dan finds my prints or Maze's prints on the knife we left behind. Then what?"

"Then we tell him the truth." Lucifer produced a nonchalant shrug, not phased by telling the people he's worked with for so long who he is. He had been telling his truth since day one, but he knew humanity needed proof to see clearly, and he was not shy about showing his divinity to those that needed it.

"It's not that simple. I know what it's like to see the truth, and it's hard to process." She avoided his eyes, hoping any of his lasting resentment from her past actions with Father Kinley was gone, even though she still resented herself for it.

"I don't understand. You were open to telling him before, back when Dromos led the army last time." He followed her eyes that stared off into the corner of the room away from him. Chloe slowly turned back around to look out the window, watching over the sky, changing into a hazy orange. Lucifer's lips pursed forward as he read her face and the apparent avoidance in her body. "Because now you would have to tell him about you."

She tilted her head back, taking in a deep breath through her nose before speaking. "I haven't even accepted whatever I am yet; how can I expect him to. What if he tries to take Trixie away from me?"

Lucifer stood from his relaxed seated position, watching the worry pass through Chloe. "I won't let that happen."

"It's not up to you." Her lips barely parted as she spoke out softly into the room. He released a short sigh watching her body stiff at the sight of the sunset.

"Okay. Then we don't tell him, but we'll figure it out. I know I've gotten away with a lot more under your nose. Dan can be quite daft if you ask me." Lucifer hoped for a small laugh or one of her infamous eye rolls, but she remained focused on the sky. She held her body tighter as she felt her muscle tremble at the sight of the fiery orange color. It reminded her of the same coloring the sunset emitted over the factory.

"I'm just not ready. I'm not ready for any of this." Chloe slowly turned back around to face Lucifer, and his eyes softened on her as she took in a sharp breath. "I'm not ready to explore what I am. I don't want to tell people." He stepped forward, watching the conflict she had with herself run back and forth inside her mind. "I'm not ready to accept what happened the other night. I don't want to go to war. I'm not ready." Chloe sighed out all of the breath in her lungs, feeling the weight on her chest disappear. Her hands rested on his abdomen as her racing thoughts made her feel weak. "Can I just be human a little longer? Can we just keep pretending?"

Lucifer tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and watched as her eyes finally met his. She was fragile in his arms, and they both knew if he spoke the hard truth, she would shatter. Like a force of light through a keyhole, Lucifer forced a relaxed smile through the dense apprehension that lingered in the room. "You know I'm always down to role play."

Chloe dropped her head into his chest, feeling the tension in her body leave with a simple laugh. They both knew avoiding their reality could make things worse, but at this moment, it felt right. She lightly pushed herself away from him, and he gently pressed his lips against her forehead as she closed her eyes at the sentimental kiss. His lips stayed on her forehead, longer than they both expected, and they felt a shift in the air. He remained close to her as he kissed her temple, then her cheek, and down her jawline.

She placed her hands around his face, guiding his lips to hers. Wrapping her arms around his neck to bring their bodies closer, Chloe balanced on the tips of her toes as she devoured his kiss. Like a synchronized walk, they took steps back until Chloe hit the wall beside the narrow window. Lucifer broke their tight lock to remove his jacket, giving Chloe time to catch her breath.

She was breathless as she spoke. "What is wrong with us?" Her hands refused to leave his chest as her fingers naturally traced along his collar bone.

Letting his jacket drop to the floor, Lucifer propped his arms up against the wall, pinning her in. "Absolutely nothing."

She pulled down on his button-down, enclosing their lips once more. He drew his head to the side and released a soft moan as her lips trailed down his neck. Opening his eyes to the gratifying feeling of her strong tongue, his body tensed from the sight before him. Lucifer leaned forward, squinting his eyes onto the street from four stories above. "Detective, I can't believe I'm about to say this, but please get off of me and look."

They both looked down over the main street of LA through the window beside them. A black four-door sedan pulled up alongside the curb to pick up Ananya Cattenach. Chloe quickly turned her body as she recognized the car from Quinn's photos.

"That's got to be a coincidence, right?" She nodded slowly to Lucifer's words, trying to read the car's plates from their height. Ananya's sister popped her body out of the driver's side and angrily motioned her hands as Ananya got into the passenger side. Both Chloe and Lucifer's opened their mouths slightly at the sight of the sisters together.

"There's two of them." Amada and Ananya looked identical from where they stood, both wearing their hair back into a bun. Sliding underneath Lucifer's arms, Chloe quickly made her way to the door and down the stairs to her desk. Her partner followed a few minutes behind, buttoning his shirt and placing his jacket back on his shoulders. Chloe's chair rolled back as she threw her body into it, spinning to face her computer. As Lucifer leaned against the back of her chair, watching her search for Amada in the database, Ella reached the desk with a small, clear bag.

"Hey, I got a hit on the casing. It's a simple 9mm luger. Being the most basic bullet around, I know it's no help, but it's a start." She lightly tossed the bullet in an evidence bag onto the desk, but she only pulled Lucifer's attention.

"Did they own a gun?" He quickly looked back to Chloe's screen as she clicked around in her database.

"Ananya did- a Smith and Wesson, but that thing was locked up tight in the bedroom safe. I traced it for residue, but the gun was clean. It hasn't been touched in a while by the looks of it."

Chloe placed two images side by side on her screen, and her eyes darted back and forth. "They're twins." Lucifer and Ella tilted their heads, looking at what they thought were duplicated photos. Their coarse black hair was pinned back into tight buns, and both sisters wore similar black tops that the photo cropped out at their shoulders.

"They're identical." Lucifer turned his head, even more, trying to find any differences in their features.

"No, they're not. Look." Ella blatantly pointed to the screen on Ananya's face. A small beauty mark rested above the left corner of her lip. Both partners leaned into the monitor more to see the little freckle that almost blended in with her skin.

"Ella, how did you-"

"Tell your family about your imaginary friend, and they send you off to the doctors. A lot of spot-the-difference puzzles in the waiting room. You could say I'm a pro." There was an innocent smile on her face, not fazed by the concerned look her friends wore. Chloe dropped her shoulders, trying to think of something to say, and Lucifer itched something uncomfortable behind his ear at the thought of his sister causing this childhood trauma.

He cleared his throat, hoping to move the conversation forward, but Ella eased the tension. "So, what's the big deal about the sister?"

"Right. The car." Chloe snapped out of her distressed look toward Ella and looked back toward her computer at Lucifer's refocused words.

"Ella, did you get a plate from the photos I sent over?" Chloe rapidly clicked around in her database, pulling up car records for both sisters.

"Only a partial- J719. It's running now, but there are over 500 matches so far, and it's only halfway done." An eager smile began to form across Chloe's lips as she looked up to Lucifer in hopes he was reading the same thing as her.

"Hello. I think we just found our stalker." Amada Taneja owned a black CLS four-door coupe with the plate 8UGJ719.

Chloe sank back into her chair, allowing her legs to sway her seat back and forth. "But why, Amada? What did she have to gain from this?"

Ella leaned her hip against the desk, plunging her hands into her zip-up pockets. "Maybe she's just a protective sister?"

"Or Mr. Don Draper here had a third piece on the side. Must say, it's very ballsy of him. I wish I got to know the guy." Lucifer's cheeky grin disappeared as he looked down at Chloe, who sat in deep thought.

"Or maybe Amada had nothing to do with this."

* * *

The main glass door was cracked open behind the yellow caution tape, warning guests of an active crime scene. Lucifer held up the tape for Chloe as she bobbed below to enter the home. Lights glowed along the baseboards of the marble walls giving a dim view to their path as they walked through the cold, maze-like house. Their steps were light as they walked through the eerie hallways, following the glow of yellow coming from the room on the end.

From where the home stood in LA, the moon's light did not reach the windows or the Japanese garden that laid to rest in the backyard. Chloe looked over her shoulder to make sure Lucifer was close behind as the home began to feel more dark and eerie the closer they walked toward the light.

They entered the same room where Ewan Cattenach's body was found earlier that morning. In an egg-shaped chair, that Lucifer initially thought was art, sat a woman in the shadows. She lazily spun the red wine in her bowl-like glass with small movements in her wrist as she stared thoughtfully down to the marble flooring. Chloe's hand hovered over her gun, placed safely away in its holster, and took one final step closer to the woman.

"Ananya? Ananya Cattenach?"

The woman remained silent, staring at the spot where her husband had laid dead before.

Lucifer moved beyond Chloe's threshold and continued to make his way closer to her. "We know it was you, Ananya."

A heavy sigh breathed out from inside the shell, and the woman unfolded her legs, leaning forward with her glass in hand. "And what did I do?"

Lucifer leaned his head back, surprised by the different tone of voice from the woman they thought they met earlier. This voice was deeper and more domineering than the meek voice from before. Chloe raised her voice, watching Lucifer to make sure he kept a safe distance from the suspect. "You killed your husband, Mrs. Cattenach."

Ananya cocked her head to the side before taking a small sip of her red wine. "I was on the other side of the world when my husband passed..." Her lips opened to speak a name, but she stopped her sentence short.

Half of Lucifer's lips turned up into a grin as he caught the slight hesitation on her face. "You don't know who she is, do you? Did your sister forget to tell you that little detail when swapping back names?"

Ananya's eyes darted between Lucifer and Chloe, trying to keep her cool under pressure. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Chloe stepped forward, walking respectively around the space Ewan's body laid before. "We saw the two tickets from India confirmed in your name, but what we missed was the single ticket back to LA the day before in Amada's name. Some part of you had to have been scared to swap names to cross countries. The possibility of being caught." Ananya stayed silent. "You came back, took your gun from the bedroom, shot your husband, cleaned up the evidence, and wiped the surveillance clean."

"That's a crazy story. I loved my husband. I would never do that to him."

Lucifer moved a few inches closer to the woman in the chair. "But, you would do it to Quinn's husband." Ananya stopped mid-sip and placed her glass down onto the end table, licking her lips closed. Leaning down on the edges of the chair, Lucifer moved his face in front of hers. "Tell me, Ananya, what is that you desire." She was cold and closed off, not wanting to speak anymore, but the man's eyes were enticing. Chloe began to close in on Ananya, only a few feet away.

"I- I- I want to be a mother." Lucifer furrowed his brow, not impressed with the revelation coming from the woman sitting on a piece of art. "I wanted to be a mother more than anything, but Ewan didn't want kids. We had talked about it before, but he always turned down the idea. It was one of those compromises a couple has to make, you know. He showed me how great life could be without them- the money, the travel, the freeing feeling of living a life for yourself. I thought I made the right decision until…"

Her voice trailed off as Lucifer backed up, taking a few steps behind Chloe. "Until you learned about Quinn."

Ananya looked up at Lucifer and Chloe with tears in her eyes. "I just thought it was an affair—no big deal. I could turn my back until he got bored with her. It wouldn't have been the first time he was unfaithful. I learned about his mistress about a year ago, but this one stuck around. My curiosity got to the best of me, and I followed him one night when he was leaving for Tokyo. He was going home to her. It's like he was a different person. And then there they were, running out to him, excited to see their father." The tears came to a stop as her eyes turned dark.

"It's not that he didn't want kids. He didn't want kids with me." She stood quickly, making Chloe grip the end of her gun, waiting for any sudden moves.

"I kept following her, wondering what I was doing wrong. But it wasn't me that was wrong; it was him. What kind of person does this? What kind of person manipulates the people they love like this."

Chloe softened her eyes, feeling her heart plummet into her stomach. "Maybe he was scared. Maybe he wasn't ready to accept a life he didn't know was possible for himself."

She swallowed hard as Ananya's voice screeched out into the marble room. "He was a coward! He was living a lie. Ewan was pathetic for even thinking he could keep up with his charade of a life. He deserved those bullets into his heart. To feel the pain that he put me through. The pain his precious family will have to feel continuing their lives without him."

"Hmph." Lucifer shined a cocky smile into the darkness while holding his hands at his waistline. "Detective, do you remember mentioning where he was shot through your investigation?"

Chloe reached behind her back to retrieve her set of handcuffs as Lucifer rocked happily back onto his heels. "No, I don't think I did. Ananya Cattenach, you are under arrest for the murder of Ewan Cattenach."

* * *

The hum of her central air passing through the vents was a relaxing background noise as she brought the edge of her comforter closer to cover their bodies. Her right ear suctioned onto his bare chest, listening to the waves of breaths flowing in and out over his steady heart beat. From the way his chest moved up and down, she knew he was on the brink of falling asleep.

Chloe stared off at the wall across from her in deep thought as Lucifer's finger lazily traced curved shapes between her naked shoulder blades. "Am I a coward?"

Lucifer's brows bowed down together at the sound of her voice, vibrating off of his chest. "What?"

Chloe peeled her face off of his breast and she propped herself up onto his chest to face him. "Ananya thought Ewan was a coward for living separate lives."

He rubbed his hand up, over his face, and through his untamed hair. "No, you're not a coward. Everyone can choose to live the life that they want. Look at me for example. I didn't want to continue the life given to me so I made my own way and look where it brought me. If you don't want to use the powers my father gave you, then don't. If it makes you happy to continue your life as a human, then do that."

"You make it sound so simple." She rested her chin on the back of her hands laying on his chest. "I can't just turn that part of me off, can I?"

They laid in silence for a minute and Lucifer kept his eyes closed, moving his fingers up to play with the ends of her hair. "No. I don't think you can." She laid the side of her cheek back down onto his chest, closing her eyes. "I don't think you should turn that side off of you just yet. Not when you haven't even given it a try."

She wrapped her arm around his torso, bringing him in closer like a pillow. Her eyes slowly opened back up into the darkness. "I'm scared."

"Scared of what? Scared that you'll hurt someone? We now know you can't-"

"I'm scared I'll like it. I'm scared that if I go down that path, that means leaving the life I knew behind." His arms draped around her body, bringing her closer to him. Lucifer didn't know what to say because there was still another world that had yet to be explored. He couldn't read the future or knew what was to come, but Chloe wasn't looking for an answer.

They laid in comfortable silence, finding comfort from the warmth their bodies made in each other's arms. He waited until he could feel her steady breaths turn into a rhythm that indicated she was fast asleep on his chest before letting himself doze off.


	12. C U Soon

His body formed to hers completely. Lucifer hugged Chloe's body into his, securing her into his arms. She felt the comforting light breaths from his nose blow onto the back of her neck in a steady rhythm as her entire body relaxed, ready to fall into a dream-like state. His skin ran hot, making her roll-up the long sleeves on her pajama set.

Heavy footsteps paced outside of her bedroom door and into the room across the hall, causing Chloe to stay awake. Metal clashing together made her pop an eye open as she listened to the chaos across from her. At first, she thought Maze was bringing home another guest for the night, but as the weapon chest opened, Chloe began to grow curious.

Without warning, Chloe's bedroom door burst open, bringing in a blinding light from the hallway. As her eyes adjusted the brightness, Chloe could only see Maze's silhouette holding a long sword. "I got it." The demon made her way deeper into the bedroom, ignoring the sleeping couple as Lucifer released an irritable moan into Chloe's hair.

His voice was groggy as he spoke out, "Mazikeen, go away."

"Maze, boundaries." Chloe held up a hand to block the hall's light as Lucifer dug his head deeper into her neck to protect his eyes.

"I'm going to chain each of one of her limbs to a different car and have them drive away so I can watch her pop like a pinata." Maze kept rotating the sword in her hand as she stared off hungrily, thinking of a single torso lying in the middle of a road. Since the night in the factory, Maze had been calculating how she would return the favor to her mother, Lilith, and each idea became more grandiose than the one before.

Lucifer rolled onto his back and planted a pillow over his face to drown out the room's noise. Propping herself up onto her elbows, Chloe's lips slightly parted as she looked appalled. "That sounds morbid."

"I know." Maze almost looked aroused by the gorey imagery passing through her mind. A muffled voice sounded out from underneath the pillow, and Chloe lightly pushed the plush restriction off of Lucifer's face.

"... too much work. You'd have to coordinate with drivers, and we both know humans can be a bit touchy when it comes to dismantling bodies. You're better off with the bazooka idea. I liked that one much better." His words slurred toward the end of his sentence as he threw an arm up to mask his face with h elbow.

Maze moved the sword down to the floor and leaned against it as if it were a cane. Shaking her head, Chloe tried to be the voice of reason in the room. "Or there's a much less violent and messy way to go about this."

"You're right. My mom deserves something special." The end of her tongue lightly explored the edge of her top row of teeth. "Acid bath. No. A swarm of bees. No! A pack of wildebeests."

Lucifer rocked his head back and forth in agony, lightly nudging Chloe in her side. "She's going Disney. She's going Disney. Make her stop."

"Maze, I think maybe you need to take some time to think about this. You know, maybe something a little more realistic. Or perhaps, you're using this as a distraction to ignore what you're really feeling, ignoring what you really want to say to her?" Chloe pushed her head forward, hoping her roommate would take her words with sincerity.

Maze rolled her eyes back behind her head, swirling the sword back up into her hand. "I knew you'd be useless. If I wanted to dive into my inner goddess, I'd call Linda. At least Trixie had more creative ideas."

"Trixie? My daughter? You went to my daughter for this?"

"Who do you think gave me the bear trap as a necklace idea? Or the stairway trap into a million razors idea?"

Lucifer weakly smirked his lips up into a smile as he continued to hide his face.

"What? How?" Chloe followed Maze's eyes down to Lucifer, whose smile faded, knowing the women were looking down on him. "Lucifer."

Lucifer relieved his arm back down to his side and opened his heavy eyelids to look up at Chloe. "You fell asleep on the couch. She wanted to watch a movie, and there happened to be a Saw marathon on." He watched Chloe's eyes widen in anger.

"You know how I feel about her watching horror movies."

"In my defense, I saw it more as a docu-series on hell, with small dramatizations." Maze nodded her head in agreement as Chloe looked back at the woman standing at the end of her bed. "From where I sat, you'd think the little one was watching a comedy, so no harm."

Chloe threw her head back, looking up to her ceiling in defeat. The demon's eyes widened as a new idea came to mind. She lifted her sword and pointed the end at the couple in front of her with excitement. "What if-"

"Out!" Lucifer threw his arm across Chloe's chest to point to the opened door.

Maze's lips subtly pouted out as she followed his finger's direction. "But…"

"Out." He was too tired even to raise his head off the mattress, and he continued to point a stiff finger into the light.

"Fine." Maze slammed the door behind her, causing Chloe to jump slightly from the bang. She laid back down onto her side, and her arm searched back behind her for Lucifer. Placing a pillow back behind his head, he inched closer to her to resume their comfortable position.

"I thought you locked the door." His voice vibrated off the back of her neck, and she squirmed slightly at the tickling sensation.

"I did. It's never stopped Maze before." She pulled in the arm that wrapped around her, tighter into her chest. "She's just excited to kill her mom, that's all." With a long, relaxing sigh, Chloe opened her eyes, surprised by her calm tone. "Another thing that I did not imagine coming out of my mouth."

"Welcome to my world, detective." His head finally found the comfortable positioning it had before, and he felt all of his muscles relax. She could hear the grogginess in his voice as he breathed into her hair. "Maybe after all of this Michael drama, we could start..." He took in a big yawn, watering his eyes. "... start looking for our own…" His voice trailed off into the silence.

Chloe's eyes darted to the side as she sucked in her lips to prevent a hopeful smile. Her gut told her where the conversation was headed, and she waited for him to finish. She gave him a few minutes to finish his thought, thinking he may have been scared to explore a conversation on their future in this state. Chloe felt the same steady breaths on the back of her neck, and she slightly tilted her head to look back at Lucifer.

His chest was rising and falling against her back in a rhythm that told her he was asleep once more. Her whisper out into the dark-filled room was only loud enough for herself. "How does he fall asleep so quickly?"

* * *

"That's so cool." Ella looked down at the invitation with gold scroll writing in deep admiration. A few hand-selected individuals from the LAPD were invited to the Governor's Program of Peace Gala, which supported at-risk youth with funding educational, recreational, and mentorship programs. It was a personal initiative of Lieutenant Wilcox to have her precinct show their faces more in the community outside of their uniform- to support the Governor's office and the city of LA.

Dan barely gave the invitation that was given to him a second look as he concentrated on the whiteboard in front of him. "It's not a big deal."

"What's not a big deal?" Lucifer had held the conference door open for Chloe to walk through, and she forced herself into the conversation. She took the time to subtly study the whiteboard, looking for any new clues into Dan's active investigation of the mysterious factory deaths. Ella held up Dan's invitation and shined it in Chloe's face. "You were invited to that too?"

Dan walked back to his laptop, which mingled with a spread of paperwork on the table. "Yeah, I don't know if I'm going to go. I feel like I'm on to something here." Chloe and Lucifer shared a quick glance at one another as Ella jerked her head in Dan's direction.

"What do you mean?" Ella held the invitation tighter into her hands, guarding it against Dan's unappreciative eyes.

"It's not as glamorous as you think, Ella." Feeling a new sight of eyes behind him, Dan looked over his shoulder to find Lucifer leaning in to peek at the laptop. "Can I help you?"

Fixing his posture, Lucifer took a final glance, trying to find any new information on the screen. "The Governor's events can actually be quite chic. I've attended a few in my time. Great canape." Lucifer kissed his fingers, remembering the catering from past events.

Dan leaned his laptop's screen down, out of view from Lucifer while Ella dropped her shoulders, knowing where this was going. "Let me guess; you're invited too?"

"Already have my tux picked out. The Governor and I go a few favors back." The smile that shined Lucifer's teeth soon disappeared as something caught his eye. Chloe looked over her shoulder, following the devil's gaze, and found Amenadiel standing beside God near the precinct's elevator doors. They waited patiently, sharing a long stare to grab Lucifer's attention. "Excuse me."

Chloe was the only one to watch Lucifer walk further away from the conference room, escorting his uninvited guests to a more quiet space in the precinct. Impatiently slapping the invitation against the palm of her hand, Ella eyed Dan, who went back to reading something on his laptop. "Such a nice event. Sucks that you have to be the third wheel with those two." Ella subtly jerked her head in Chloe's direction.

"Hey!" Chloe's ears reentered the conversation at Ella's low blow comment.

Rolling his eyes up from his laptop, Dan looked unamused by Ella's game. "Ella, if you really want to go, you can be my plus one. I'm probably going to duck out early anyway, so you can just hang out in my place."

Ella's front teeth bit down on the tip of her tongue as a smile took over her entire face. "Really?" Dan threw up a defeated hand, knowing there was no harm in bringing someone more excited about the event than him. "Do you want to try to color coordinate or…" Her voice trailed off into silence, taking in Dan's deadpan stare. "Right." She turned to Chloe, straining her neck with a wide smile. "Well, I'm going to go back to work as I have many important things to do, like search for hairstyle ideas for tonight."

Chloe began to follow Ella out the door but stopped at the sound of her name. "Hey, Chloe, can you hold back for a second." Dan began to look out over the precinct in a way that made Chloe tense her shoulders. He quickened his step around the conference table and forced the door closed behind Ella, trapping their voices in safe. Looking over his shoulder one last time to see if anyone was staring in, Dan took in a deep breath. "I think I found something big, and I don't know how to go about it."

Chloe darted her eyes to the whiteboard, knowing this was regarding his case. "Okay."

"Some of the bodies had several gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen, but the weird thing is that's not their cause of death." Dan had dark circles forming under his eyes, and his hair looked in need of a cleansing shower, but he was glued to this case. His hands scattered across the disorganized piles of papers on the table, and he finally revealed a coroner's report to Chloe. "Look. Most were stabbed in the back of the neck. One had their head totally snapped off from their spine, but according to the coroner, these injuries took place hours before the gunshot wounds. I mean, look at these two." Dan forced two more documents into Chloe's hands.

Her eyes scanned the report to read about the two bodies being split open by a blade from the pelvic bone to the chest. Chloe pressed her lips together as she swallowed hard, forcing herself to look clueless. "I don't understand. You think these people were tortured after their death?"

He ran his hand through his hair, rolling his shoulders back into a deep shrug. "Yes? No? I don't know. It's just all so weird." Dan looked back over his shoulder before leaning in closer to Chloe. She felt an invisible cloud of coffee breath breeze over her face as he spoke low. "The gunshots. I found multiple casings at the scene, and they track back to police-grade bullets. LAPD-grade." He widened his eyes, hoping Chloe could catch onto what he was saying. Dan expected her to be shocked or confused by the theory, but she stared back emotionless. What he couldn't see was her insides falling apart, feeling exposed for all to see.

"Dan, if you're saying what I think you're saying- that's a serious accusation."

He stumbled back a few steps, looking back to the victims on his board. "Is it? It wouldn't be the first time a dirty cop came out of this place. Malcolm. Me. Pierce was the freaking Sinnerman, and we were clueless- no offense." He paused, rubbing the stubble on his chin. "There's just something about this entire case that's off, but this lead feels right, Chloe. I thought you'd understand that, at least."

She looked down at the tips of her boots and steadied her breath before looking back to Dan. He was getting closer the more he spent his time on this case, and she knew gaslighting him was not the road she wanted to travel down. If he learned the truth on his own, it could go two ways- two ways in which Chloe saw denial and anger fume off of Dan. Connecting the case to Chloe or Maze was inevitable in her mind, but she had time to prepare for the explanations.

"If this feels right to you, then follow your gut." There was an uneasiness in her voice that made Dan question if her words were genuine. He returned a faint smile in appreciation, and Chloe left to search for her other world.

One of the doors that lead into an interrogation room was closed slightly, and Chloe made out a pacing Lucifer from where she stood. She slid her body through the small opening and closed the door behind her while trying to pick up the pieces of their conversation. The three men grew silent at her arrival, and she waited for someone to speak.

Amenadiel bowed his head in her direction as a quick hello, and God watched his one son pace in a three-step formation. "What's going on? Did you find Michael?" No one spoke.

Lucifer finally stood still, giving a glance to his brother, and Chloe felt her chest tighten at the sight of his grave eyes. "Can someone just tell me what's happening?"

"I found Michael, and it did not go as planned." Lucifer rolled his eyes up as his father spoke.

"Okay. So, what does that mean?" She watched Lucifer place his hands on the edge of a chair that would sit a suspect in question. His shoulders hunched over the metal framework, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Amenadiel spoke over him.

"It means we need to start preparing for war."

Chloe held up her hands to pause the words that left Amenadiel's mouth. "No. No. You- you said you would take care of this." She pointed a hard finger at God, who stood calmly in the corner, and Lucifer released a deep sigh as he gripped the chair harder, mumbling under his breath.

"Exactly what I thought."

"I tried, believe me. Michael was not in a place for negotiations. He had many words to share with me regarding my parenting, favoritism, humanity. He has taken matters into his own hands."

"Then, just snap your fingers and make it stop." Chloe snapped her middle finger against her thumb as she spoke, throwing her right hand in the air.

"If it were that simple, Samael's first rebellion would have ended sooner." Lucifer looked down at his shoes, avoiding Chloe's gaze. There was a tense silence in the room as everyone handled their own corners.

Chloe's voice was small as she folded her arms under her chest, breaking the silence. "You'll fight with us, though. Right?"

God closed his lips, creating a cold, contemplative look on his face. "I will not harm my children. I will not fight Michael." Both of his sons already knew this. To hear the actual words come out of his mouth, stung both of their souls.

Chloe looked to Lucifer for any sign of hope, but there was none. "What now?"

Amenadiel leaned back onto the plastered wall, placing one hand into his jean pocket. "We start recruiting. We build our army, and I know where we can start." He looked over to Lucifer, who finally gave the chair he leaned on a rest. The devil nodded, knowing it was his turn to recruit their first angel.

Chloe darted her eyes between the two brothers. "Where?" She watched God look down in, what she could see, was guilt.

Lucifer forced a tense, thin lip not wanting to speak of the place that would bring up a dark past. "When my dad visited Michael, Cas wasn't with him. We think he may be trapped down- down there."

She remembered Lucifer telling her about Cassiel throughout their first couple of dates, and she listened to the stories from the Silver City. Lucifer had been genuinely touched by his brother's choice to be an interim ruler of Hell for the time being. "If he's an angel, can't he just fly out of there?"

Lucifer revealed a coin from his pocket, and his thumb caressed the intricate design. "As a ruler, he can't leave without this." All eyes fell on the coin, but Lucifer concentrated on his Detective's face. He had hoped there would be a clear message on what she wanted, but she stared down at the coin impassively. "Detective, I need to go back down there."

Her brows twitched down as she stayed focused on the coin. "I'm coming with you."

"What? No." Lucifer looked utterly appalled by Chloe's request to go down there. He knew the place he had called home for centuries, and it was not a place he wanted her to see. It wasn't the dark ruins or unbearable heat he wanted her to avoid, but it was the memories of his past- the torture he inflicted, the high he would get from every beating. She didn't need to see that side of him. "You can't go down there." Lucifer's voice grew stronger as if he were scolding her.

Chloe looked to God for the final answer, but his head shook in return. "No, Chloe, you cannot follow. As happy as I am that you are now accepting this new side of you, there are still limits. You are still a majority human. Traveling between worlds would be impossible."

She leaned her head to the side as the words were hard for her to hear. "When would you have to leave?"

"Now," Lucifer spoke out the single word with a glance back to his brother. Like an ocean's breeze brushing against his arm, Amenadiel felt the mood change in the room quickly, and he looked toward the door for an exit.

"We'll give you two some privacy." Traveling between worlds was a luxury to the celestials, but Amenadiel understood the animosity and worry that began to grow in Chloe. He made his way to the door and looked back to find God waiting for the conversation to continue. Both Chloe and Lucifer turned their heads to look at their unwanted audience, hoping he would get the hint to leave. "Father."

God clasped his hands at his waistline as his eyes traveled to each member in the room, not understanding the current temperament. "Father, let's go." Amenadiel held up a finger to his brother and made his way across the room to drag his father out by the elbow. With a few stumbling feet and a quiet close of the door, they stood in silence.

"It's not like the last time, Detective. It's just a quick visit. I'll be back in a few minutes; an hour tops."

There was a light smile to his face, but she knew it was forced. A smile that was trying to put her worry at ease, but it wasn't helping. Chloe felt something in her stomach that was familiar to the feeling she had the night he left. "And what if it doesn't take an hour? What if you're gone for much longer? What if this is a trap?"

He couldn't deny that those same thoughts crossed his mind, but she didn't need to see or hear that. Lucifer stepped forward, cupping his hands around her shoulders. "Do you trust me?"

She released a long sigh, tilting her head to the side. "You know, I do."

The corners of his lips turned up into a meek smile, still flattered by those words. "Then trust me when I say I'll be back." He took a step back to make enough room for his wings, looking down for his departure.

Chloe leaned all of her weight into one side of her hip, looking disappointed. "What, no kiss goodbye?" He rolled his shoulders back, and his long, white wings unfurled beside him.

"I'm not saying goodbye. I'll see you tonight." There was a cocky grin on his lips that made Chloe squint her eyes in his direction. A sudden wave of fear slithered through Chloe's insides, and she stepped forward to stop the angel.

"Lucifer, wait." By the time she stretched her hands out to feel for his chest, he was gone.

* * *

A trail of matted down carpet followed Chloe's pacing feet. What felt like only a few minutes of being stuck in her thoughts turned into two hours. The longer Lucifer was away, the more Chloe felt unstable, and her thoughts ran away to a dark place. She couldn't move on from the idea of war happening at any moment and what that would mean for her daughter, the world, and herself.

She stopped to look down at her hands, and her eyes traced along the pale lines on her palms. "Okay. You can do this." Chloe spoke out loud to herself as she shook her hands out back and forth. She had reserved time every day to practice her new power, but it was more tiring than she thought. At this point, just getting a small gleam of light without Lucifer's help was an exhausting task.

Closing her eyes, Chloe lifted her chin and spread her fingers to concentrate harder on the light within her. She waited for that surge of light and the burning sensation that came with it, but she just stood in the middle of her living room feeling nothing. Chloe cracked an eye open to look down to her arms, and her shoulders dropped in disappointment. The light was hard to reach.

Picking up the pace she had once before, Chloe retraced her steps and forced a deeper trail into her carpet. Her eyes scanned Trixie's empty bedroom, to the closed curtains encompassing her home, and the locked doors. She was completely alone and free to test out the powers she hid away, but something continued to hold her back. "Come on."

She thought back to the times in which she had lit up in the past, hoping it would trigger whatever was inside of her. The thought of witnessing Maze's last moments ran a chill down her spine, and Chloe shook out her shoulders, moving onto Lucifer. Although the moments were filled with love, all she felt was dread knowing he was currently in hell. Rolling her head around in a slow circle to relax, Chloe closed her eyes, and her fingers searched for the gold piece around her neck.

Her thumb and middle finger held onto the compressed bullet that hung low between her breasts. A ripple of relaxation worked its way across her shoulders, through her arms, and down her legs. The burning sensation wasn't as severe as she had remembered it to be. A comforting warmth filled her chest and traveled quickly through her veins. Like taking in a clean, deep breath after being submerged underwater, Chloe released an exhilarated sigh as a white light shined off of her skin.

She raised her right arm to watch the light glow an inch off her body, and she couldn't help but release a short laugh. This was the first time she was able to force the light within her without the help of Lucifer or a dire situation, and Chloe took the time to embrace the power surging through her body. The sound of something heavy and flat slapping against the hardwood floors made Chloe turn around quickly, and her face dropped in dismay. She felt the light around her extinguish to nothing.

"Dan."

His eyes were left agape. His lips barely parted in the middle, slightly shaking. His shoulder sank crooked making his body look distorted and deflated. The hands that held a case file were still rigid in their hold. As if he were holding an invisible plate, Dan continued to look onward in shock. His knees began to buckle as his lips trembled open wider.

"Dan?" Chloe started to feel sick, knowing what he witnessed. She took a few steps forward with a hand in the air to steady the air between them.

"You- you just- I don't-" He took a step back as Chloe grew closer to him. Dan stammered out incoherent words as Chloe found a way to place an arm around his back, guiding him to the couch. He sat down in a wide-legged position, and he ran both of his hands through his hair. His head dropped down between his knees, and he cupped the back of his neck with his hands.

"I know." She knelt to the side of his legs, hoping to catch a glimpse of his face. Chloe just wanted him to look her in the eyes and see the Chloe he's always known.

"How did you- I don't understand. What did I just see?"

"It's confusing- almost unbelievable- I know."

Dan looked back up, balancing his elbows on his knees. His hands clasped together into a prayer position, and the side of his pointer fingers lightly touched his lips. "You glow. You glow light." Chloe slowly nodded her head, allowing Dan to release all the thoughts racing through his mind. "Have you always been able to do that?"

"It's complicated." He still couldn't look at her as his eyes remained glued to the floor. "Dan, I know it's a lot to process, but please just look at me." Dan's eyes reluctantly moved over in her direction. "I know what you saw was confusing, and I'm still learning what this is, but you probably have a lot of questions. I'm here. You can ask me anything." There was a long pause between the two, and Chloe looked down to the floor. "Or we can just sit here. I'm okay with that, too. When I learned everything, it took me a long time to process. I mean, I ran off to Europe and-"

"Learn everything? What are you?"

She subtly cringed at Dan's words, accusing her of being something less than human. "I'm kind of a star? It sounds weird, but it makes sense when you know everything." Like appearing naked on stage in a nightmare, Chloe grew insecure and vulnerable, opening up to Dan about her celestial side.

"What do you mean by everything?"

Chloe pushed off the floor with her knees and moved to sit on the couch next to Dan. He looked lost and bewildered as his eyes searched the floor. The worry on Chloe's face grew grave as she knew he was going to hear an overwhelming slew of information. "Dan, it's all true. Everything that Lucifer has been telling us- Maze, Amenadiel, Charlotte, it's all true."

"I don't understand." As Chloe laid a hand on his arm, Dan popped up from his seat, not wanting to feel her touch. "What does Charlotte have to do with any of this?" His face was growing red with anger and frustration, making Chloe look down to her lap. "I don't- I can't- This isn't what I thought I'd walk into." He aggressively rubbed his eyes, hoping this was all a bad dream.

Chloe looked over to the case file on her kitchen floor and removed herself from the couch to receive it. "Why did you come here?"

Dan lazily pointed to the file in Chloe's hand, refocusing his attention back to his case. "There was a knife at the scene, and we found prints matching to Maze. I wanted to come to you first before taking her in. I thought, maybe, you could help make sense of this."

She looked down at the manila folder, feeling a great deal of anxiety swim throughout her body. "I can help make sense of this..." Chloe placed the file on an end table as Dan looked up at her with uncertainty. "...because I was there that night." He took a step back to steady himself, and he felt his heart drop. "Dan, you have a right to know what's been going on. Please, let me tell you everything."

He made his way back to the couch, slowly nodding his head, and Chloe folded her arms, thinking back to the moment she met Lucifer. "Where should I start?"

* * *

Lucifer dusted off the soot on his shoulders as he walked the long corridors of hell. The embers that fell slowly from above and the tall black slate walls made him roll his eyes to the back of his head. He did not miss this place and the memories that came with it. Chains banged against metal doors, and screams could be heard in the distance, but Lucifer continued to walk, unfazed by the background noises.

When he landed back down into the epicenter of hell, Lucifer did not find his brother sitting on the throne or anywhere nearby. He continued a guarded walk, looking over his shoulder every so often, to ensure his return was not a trap set out by Lilith and Michael. His eyes glided from left to right, looking out for any rogue demons that had enough gumption to take on their true leader.

Lucifer felt like he had walked for miles before coming to a stop outside of a blue submarine door. There was a porthole window in the middle, and he tried cupping his hands around the glass to get a better view, but all he could see was a dense fog. Giving one final glance over his shoulder, Lucifer placed his weight onto the rusted lever and pulled the heavy door open.

He took a few steps in, waving his hands in front of him to disperse the grey smoke around him. There was a comforting smell of a dying fire somewhere close by, and he stopped to see if he could make out his location, but Lucifer was stuck alone in the impenetrable smoke. As he continued to walk forward, he watched the smoke fly out from the force of his step, and he noticed a concrete pathway below him.

An exhausted, low sob echoed around Lucifer's ears, and he spun his head, trying to pinpoint the source. He listened to his gut and began walking eastbound, hoping the sobs would grow closer. The smoke started to thin out, and a small gleam of light fought its way through the grey. With a final swat of his hand, Lucifer could now see a city's skyline in the distance, but the buildings were all blending together.

"Please, I'm sorry." The man's voice sobbed out, making Lucifer stop in his tracks. He recognized the voice, but he still could not find where the noise echoed out from. Lucifer quickened his step, and the closer he brought himself to the city, the more his face fell into a fragile state. He stopped at the golden gates, staring through an opening, and he felt his heart begin to thump harder in his ears.

He always talked about how he did not miss this place; how boring it was, but it was his first home. His doe-like eyes traced the outline of each building, the mountains that peaked beyond, and the majestic fountains that poured out water, leaving behind a comforting noise. Lucifer never thought he would see this place again. It was easier for him to hate something than to admit that he missed it.

He looked down the line of golden iron rods, looking for an opening to enter the city. As he walked along the gates, something caught his eye in the distance forcing him to pick up his pace into a run. "Cas!"

Cassiel was hunched over on the floor, and his shoulder shook as he cried out. "Cas." Lucifer knelt to his brother's side, trying to force him into a seated position. "Cas, look at me."

"I can't, brother. I can't do this again to you."

Lucifer looked around them to find they were the only two people around. "What are you talking about?"

Cassiel's hair was loose around his face, and the brass uniform he wore over his chest was dented and scratched. He held onto Lucifer's arms for stability as he gasped for air. "I betrayed you, brother. I was weak, and now, I can never be forgiven."

Lucifer's face grew stone-cold as he leaned his body away from Cassiel. Shaking his shoulder loose from his brother's grip, Lucifer stood to his feet. "So, you admit it? You manipulated me out of this place to put our nephew in danger? To put all of humanity at risk? And for what? What have I done to you to-"

Cassiel looked up to his brother as if a blinding light stung him in the eyes. He wiped away the stream of tears on his cheek and held his hand out to hold his brother's leg. "Luci, I don't understand. I would never manipulate you out of the Silver City. You're my brother. You're my confidant."

Lucifer furrowed his brow, absorbing the words and the raw emotion that melted off of his younger brother. He looked back up to the city, and his eyes widened. His reminiscent eyes missed the partial gaps on the sides of buildings, the smoke that flew into the air from the mountains, and the water that jetted out in all directions from the collapsed fountains. He turned his body around to find the path to Eden completely destroyed, and it was then he realized he was brought back to the day he was banished out of the city. It was then he realized he was Cassiel's hell.

His eyes softened on the baby blues before him, and Lucifer squatted down to meet his brother's eye level. "You did not betray me, little brother."

"I should have fought with you. I should have been man enough to stand up to father as you did, but I did not have enough bravery to turn on father's command. If I stood at your side, maybe things would be different. Maybe you wouldn't have to leave me."

Lucifer cupped his brother's face with his right hand. "You did the right thing by staying out of it. The punishment I received, I would never wish that for you. What you're experiencing now, I don't want for you. That's why you need to come with me. None of this is real."

Cassiel quickly shook his head, not accepting the words that left Lucifer's mouth. "No. I can fix this. I can bring you home. I need you to come back, come home. I need you to forgive me." Lucifer watched as his eyes blurred with tears at the sight of his brother crying over his departure. When he was banished eons ago, he assumed his family continued without him happily. He didn't think he had left this behind.

"You never needed my forgiveness." Lucifer looked up as the smoke cleared behind them, and the blue door seemed closer than he imagined. "Cas, listen to me. Lilith lied to you. She manipulated you into this place. Walk out that door with me, and you'll see."

The porthole to the world below them was only inches away. Cassiel shook his head out of his brother's caring grip, and he began to crawl himself away. "No. I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Lucifer stood, growing impatient over Cassiel's tantrum, and he held onto his brother's ankle, pulling him back. With enough mustered strength, Lucifer picked up the blonde man clinging to the floor and pinned him up against the golden gates. "Listen to me." Cassiel dropped his head in self-pitying defeat. "This isn't real. This is your guilt taking over. You're stronger than this."

Lucifer jolted his brother's body hard against the gate once more to grab his attention. With eyes burning red, Cassiel gasped in a deep breath at the devil's sight before him. "You are stuck in a hell loop. This isn't real. I am real." Lucifer shook his head to show his truest self in hopes it would shock his brother back to life. "You were trapped in here for a reason, and it's time for you to come with me. You don't belong here, brother."

Quick blinks brought Cassiel out of his trance, and he took his wrists back with force. Looking around him, he rolled his eyes at the sight of a burning Silver City. He took the leather string, wrapped around his wrist, and he pulled his long blonde locks up into a pony-tail. "Thank you, Lucifer."

Feeling his eyes extinguish back to normal, Lucifer took a step back, buttoning his suit jacket. "Are you okay?"

Cassiel couldn't look his brother in the eyes at that moment, knowing what he just witnessed. "I'll feel better after I come face to face with Lilith."

There was a hunger that mixed with hatred in his eyes that Lucifer recognized. "I know you didn't fight with me in the last rebellion, but I need you this time."

Cassiel looked up, tilting his head to the side. "What do you mean?" They strolled together toward the blue door, leaving the city in ruins behind them.

Lucifer opened the door and allowed his young brother to cross the threshold first. "I suppose there's a lot to catch you up on, but first, let's get you out of here. I have a brandy back home with your name on it." Lucifer watched as his brother's steps came to a stop in the dark corridor.

"What about down here? Someone needs to rule over the demons."

Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets, and his eyes traveled up the tall walls and into the dark, grey sky. "The demons are the least of our worries, right now." He picked out the coin from his pocket and popped the metal piece into the air with a flick of his thumb. Catching the coin in his palm, Lucifer spread out his white, ethereal wings. "Let's get out of here."

* * *

She stared hard at him from across the table. Dan threw his scotch back, avoiding Chloe's eyes, and he slumped back into his chair, opening his legs wide. Two empty chairs separated Dan from his coworker and ex-wife, and he hoped it stayed that way.

"Smile!" Ella turned her phone around, smiling brightly as she took a selfie from a high angle. "Chloe, you weren't even looking."

Taking another sip from her champagne glass, Chloe looked down to the empty seat next to her. She had already checked her phone five times since they arrived at the Gala, and there were still no messages from Lucifer. Ella gave Chloe a small nudge in her side, pulling her attention back. "He's probably just running late. Typical."

Ella held her phone up as she took a slow video of the Gala from around the table. Purple lights beamed up to the ceiling, and warm mustard yellow cloths draped the sides of the walls. A grand staircase was released into the ballroom of round tables, and a string quartet played out covers of soft rock songs at the base of the last step. Everyone was dressed in tuxedos and gowns, and Ella couldn't put her phone down.

Chloe uncomfortably pulled up on her strapless black dress as she adjusted in her chair to face Ella. "You're still mad at Lucifer." She placed a hand over Ella's phone to make her more present to the conversation.

"Yeah, maybe I am." Ella threw her phone away into her clutch. Her bright green dress shimmered as the stage lights moved around, and it was easy to spot her in a ballroom of muted tones.

"Can I ask you something? What did Michael do for a living?" Ella opened her mouth to speak, and she stopped herself. "What was his favorite color? Band?" She licked her lips in, trying to think of the answers. "What was something you could do to calm him when he was mad? What would be a meal to cook him if he had a bad day?" Ella looked as if she were having a confused inner monologue, and Chloe waited for a single response. She saw for herself that Michael had a way of manipulating people's emotions when he was around them, and unfortunately, Ella was his target. Chloe knew the love Ella thought she felt was more of a forced infatuation.

"I- I don't know. I don't know any of those." Ella threw her back into the chair as she reached out for her drink.

Chloe tapped Ella's glass of champagne an inch closer for a more comfortable reach. "I'm not saying what you had wasn't real, but maybe there were some red flags you missed along the way. It's natural. It happens to everybody." Like the fact he was an angel with a plan, she thought to herself.

"It was nice just to have someone to talk to you, you know?" Ella took a long sip of her champagne and looked back to Chloe. "It was nice to think I was done with dating." Ella finished off the ivory bubbles with a final tip back of her head and placed her empty glass back down onto the table.

"Ella, I'm really sorry."

Ella always had a way of smiling through the toughest of times and the hardest emotions. With a small curve in her lip, Ella leaned her head on Chloe's shoulder. "It sucks. It's like what my abuela used to say, 'No es oro todo lo que reluce.'" Chloe was happy to see Michael out of her life, but her heart hurt for her friend. Ella pushed her champagne glass farther into the center of the table to grab Dan's attention. "Hey, I think your date needs a refill over here."

Dan looked at the few drops of scotch left at the bottom of his glass and rolled his eyes, taking Ella's glass into his free hand. "I'll go with you." Chloe stood up with Dan eagerly.

"No, I'm good on my own."

Chloe hitched up the ends of her gown and shuffled her way through the mix of chairs. "I think I should come with you." Since their talk earlier that day, Chloe had been feeling the need to stay close to Dan, even if he protested. She admitted to herself that the story she told Dan was not as smooth and sensical as Lucifer's version- when he told her the missing pieces of their partnership from the beginning. Chloe knew Dan didn't need to know all of the details between her and Lucifer, but enough to make sense of who she is and why she was blessed into existence.

He was quiet, too quiet, for her liking. She had the benefit of being in his shoes from before and knew he needed time to process everything she had told him, but his processing looked a lot like anger and betrayal. When she was done explaining everything, he simply stood up from the couch and walked out without a word.

Dan was swift as he bobbed and weaved through the different tables as he made his way to the bar. Holding onto the edges of her gown, Chloe carefully stepped her way around the chairs and waiters, knowing Dan was trying to lose her in the walk. By the time they reached the long bar, they were third in line. "Dan, talk to me." She spoke to him in a whisper, hoping the other guests could not hear the conversation. He lifted his chin and maintained his focus on the drinks menu that hung from above.

"I know I told you a lot of things and I understand you probably need time, but can you at least-"

Dan jerked his head in her direction with eyes blaring. "What am I supposed to think right now? You tell me that my friend is an angel. That your roommate, the woman our daughter adores, is a demon. Your partner is the actual devil- that, well, that explains more in itself. My ex-wife is a- a star or whatever. And you've known about all of this for over a year, and you didn't tell me a single thing." A bald man, who waited in front of them, looked back over his shoulder as he picked up on Dan's words.

Grabbing Chloe by the arm, Dan pulled her aside to a more secluded part of the ballroom. "The worst part of all of this is that I have to blow this case- a case that can get me back on track in my career."

Chloe shook her head, looking back to the crowd. "I'm not asking you to do that."

"What am I supposed to do then? Oh, hey, Lieutenant. Yeah, so that case I was working on, nevermind that. It was just a bunch of demons trying to take over the world. Don't worry, though, because Decker wiped them out with her magical spells! Do you hear how insane that is?"

Chloe wiped away a drop of spit that landed on her chin from Dan, raising his whisper. She watched his chest heave up and down as if a panic attack was on the brink. "Dan, please take a deep breath and listen to me. This is all crazy, and I know your brain feels fried like mine did, but trust me when I say it's better to talk about it. If you hold it in and try to rationalize it yourself, you can go to a dark place. I know I did. I'm here. Maze is here. Linda-"

"Linda knows? The therapist? Am I the only one who doesn't know at this point?"

Chloe nervously played with the silk wristband attached to her clutch. "Ella doesn't know, and it should probably stay that way."

Dan rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, and he backed away from Chloe. "I need space right now."

Chloe tilted her head to the side, feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt rush through her. "Dan, please." She stepped forward, trying to make him look into her eyes, but he refused.

"Chloe, stop. I want nothing to do with you right now." His voice was louder this time, causing some guests standing by to look over their shoulders. Politely backing away, Chloe excused herself from the bar and up the stairs to the bathroom for privacy.

As the event was still in the early beginnings of its night, the bathroom was empty. Each stall door was open, and Chloe found solace in the silence. Making her way to the granite vanity, Chloe spread her hands wide on the cold rock, and her shoulder hunched over the sink as she closed her eyes. She took a deep breath through her nose to calm her senses, but she was soon interrupted by another guest.

Quickly fixing herself, Chloe played with a few strands of her curled hair. A woman with blonde, straw-like hair sauntered in with a tight, mermaid fit gown. Her long, bouncy curls fell around the red, satin fabric. She reminded Chloe of a real-life Jessica Rabbit. The woman fixed her hair in the mirror and rubbed a finger along the bottom of her lip to remove any red lipstick.

Chloe could feel the woman's eyes glance over to her, and they continued to stand side by side in uncomfortable silence. "I hate these events, don't you?"

Looking up to make eye contact with the woman for the first time through the mirror, Chloe gave a polite smile. "I wouldn't know. I don't go to these a lot." Chloe felt a sudden chill work its way down her spine, and the hair on her arms began to stand tall.

"You're not missing out." The woman opened her clutch and sifted through a couple of items. "Shoot. I think I left my lipstick at home. Do you mind if I borrow yours at all?"

The woman's bright, blue eyes looked trusting enough, and Chloe opened her clutch to retrieve her lipstick. Twisting the tube up, Chloe noticed how her lipstick matched the woman's dress perfectly. Bending over the counter and placing her lips only inches away from the mirror, the woman seductively glossed on the red while keeping an eye on Chloe, but the detective didn't notice.

Looking down at her phone for a sixth check that night, she smiled at the familiar name appearing on her phone. The nerves and anxiety that continued to linger in her body faded to calm as she read Lucifer's text that he was on his way. There was a small noise from the woman as she rubbed her lips together and popped them open to ensure the red evenly coated over her mouth.

Placing her phone back away in her clutch, Chloe looked up and watched as the woman replaced the cap on the lipstick, slowly handing it over. "Thanks, Chloe."

Chloe's polite smile faded at the sound of her name. "How did you-"

With a quick grab to the back of Chloe's neck, the woman in red drove the detective's face down onto the granite, leaving an open gash on her forehead. Chloe remembered her body falling to the cold, tiled floor and the dark shadow of the woman standing over her before fading out into the darkness.

By the time Lucifer arrived at the venue, the tables were growing full of guests. He fixed his bowtie as he stepped his way down the staircase, shaking hands with some familiar faces. Ella was easy to spot across the ballroom, and he found her to be the only one at the table. "Miss Lopez, you look beautiful tonight." Although his words were sweet, his delivery was not. Lucifer was too preoccupied, looking around the ballroom for Chloe actually to look at Ella.

"Thank you, Lucifer." She folded her hands into one another and produced a genuine smile.

Double-looking down to the table, Lucifer was taken back by her tone. "No short, passive-aggressive response? No 'you ruined my life, Lucifer?' 'Bad Lucifer?'"

She bit down on the edge of her lip, knowing she let her emotions run wild without a second thought. "No, not tonight. I owe you an apology."

"Ah, do you now?" Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets, amused by this more agreeable version of Ella.

"Okay, you can wipe the smug look off your face." She swatted her hand in the air to emphasize Lucifer's smile.

"I think it fits there quite nicely. You suck at apologies if that's all you got."

"I may have been a bit nasty this past week. I was going through something, you know? But that doesn't mean you deserved the butt end of it. I'm sorry." She released a short sigh, hoping this wouldn't be held over her head for some time.

"Apology accepted. So, does this mean this Michael is gone for good?" He leaned his head in, trying not to look too eager for the response.

"Yeah, I think so." Before Lucifer could open his mouth, he felt a twinge in his chest, causing him to hold his hand over his heart. "You okay?" Ella could see the sudden look of discomfort on Lucifer's face and watched him look around the ballroom, confused.

"Yes, I'm- I'm fine." He brought his gaze up to the balcony as a dark feeling loomed in his chest.

"Finally!" Ella stood up from her chair to retrieve her champagne glass from Dan, who sulked back through the tables.

Dan slammed his drinks down onto the table as soon as he caught a glimpse of Lucifer. "Get away from her."

Ella leaned back with wide eyes and hands defensively in the air. "Dude, chill. He wasn't even touching me."

Dan's nostrils flared as he pointed a finger up in the air. "Get away."

Lucifer chuckled in amusement at the unhinged Dan in front of him. "Are you alright? Didn't get enough Wheaties today, I see. Or maybe it's the tux from Goodwill you're wearing. Too itchy?" Dan pushed a few chairs aside as he walked closer to Lucifer.

"Whoa. Hey, guys." Ella moved around Lucifer to stop Dan from throwing any sporadic punches. "Dan, what's gotten into you?"

"Yes, Daniel. This is a gala for children, after all. Where's the peace?" Lucifer's devilish smile grew wider in pure amusement.

"I know you're the devil."

Ella rolled her eyes, reaching for her glass of champagne. A few heads from a table close by looked back to the commotion, and Ella held up her glass to put their minds at ease.

"I know you can be quite daft, but good for you. I've only been telling you since the day I met you. Are you going to drink that?" He pointed down to Dan's scotch glass, filled three fingers worth.

"Chloe told me everything. Everything."

Lucifer's smile faded to a more insecure version, but he tried to keep his cool in front of Ella. "Did she now? It seems the detective has gone rogue."

Ella looked around the ballroom as she sipped her champagne. "Where is Chloe? I thought she was with you?" Dan didn't remove his eyes from Lucifer, and Lucifer swallowed hard, watching the heat burn in Dan. The ballroom's lights grew dim, and two spotlights swam across the sea of heads, finally landing on the podium on stage. "It's starting!" Ella's excited smile was innocent to the drama happening around her, and she forced Dan to take his seat.

Cranking his head back, Dan watched Lucifer do a quick sweep of the room for any sign of his detective. "Pardon me."

Making a quick step up the stairs, Lucifer pulled his phone out of his suit jacket pocket, and he began to call Chloe. He passed the main entrance and made his way down a marble hallway that led to the restrooms. Pacing back and forth outside of the bathrooms, Lucifer continued to dial her number, and the anticipation of her answer was slowly killing him.

He took a step back as two women walked out of the women's restroom. An older woman in a conservative lace gown held two clutches in her hands as her companion spoke. "I'm going to speak to someone about this. The event started thirty minutes ago, and there's already graffiti in the restroom. Who would do something like that?"

Lucifer listened to the constant ringing in his ear, taking another step back from the women.

"I hope the owner comes looking for this soon. It won't stop buzzing. Maybe I should answer it?"

Looking to his left, Lucifer watched the woman pull out Chloe's phone, and he took two giant steps to the side. "Where did you find this?" The women were both taken back by his abrupt interruption as he peered over the clutch to read his name appear on the screen.

"We found it under the sink." The lace sleeve pointed back into the bathroom, and Lucifer didn't hesitate to push the door open. "Excuse me, young man. That's the women's bathroom!"

Lucifer ignored the older woman's call out to him as the door swung closed. He pushed the bathroom stall doors open one by one to find no one there. Turning around slowly to face himself in the mirror, he watched his face fall into a troubled state.

Red lipstick scrolled across the mirror in cursive letters, and his eyes fell to the puckered red lips imprinted on the glass at the end. "C U Soon- XOXO Lily."


	13. Angels and Demons

One by one, Dan watched each face fall into the cardboard box. The green eyes he studied on the young Anne Connolly, the thinning hair of Frank Schwartz, the heart-shaped face of Eliza Mata- all were fated to be one of the many lost faces hidden away in the LAPD's evidence room. He stared at the copied papers of addresses, receipts, and phone records. With a quick outreach in anger, Dan ripped the papers down, crumpling them into a ball.

A gentle knock on the conference room glass door caught Dan's attention. Amenadiel hovered behind the opened door, gauging his friend's temperament. The tense string of muscles that made Dan's shoulders meet his ears relaxed as he dropped the paper ball to the floor. The Angel found it safe to come into the room as Dan looked back to the empty whiteboard.

"Dan, we need to talk." Amenadiel kept a safe distance at the opposite side of the table, folding his hands together at his waistline.

Turning around to pull out a leather chair, Dan sat himself down, and his eyes stared off with a glazed look. "I didn't sleep last night. I couldn't." Amenadiel looked down in respect as he waited for Dan to finish his thought. When Lucifer had stormed his home the night before, Amenadiel tried to calm the panic attack taking over his brother. He heard about Cassiel, Lilith's sudden ambush, and Dan's sudden awareness of divinity.

"I think a piece of me always knew. It was right there in front of me- the quick disappearances, Maze's weird super strength and aggression, and Lucifer being, well, Lucifer. I just thought the guy was crazy, but he was telling the truth the whole time. Heaven and Hell. Angels and Demons. God. It's all real. I always liked having the idea of a different afterlife; reincarnation, but all of that's gone now. There's nothing to fantasize about anymore. I know exactly where I'm headed when all of this is said and done. I now only have Hell to look forward to."

Amenadiel shook his head as he stepped forward. "Dan, you don't know that."

"No, I do. You don't know the things I've done; the things I've said." He began nervously tapping his knuckles against the table, avoiding the Angel's eyes.

"None of that matters. As long as you take responsibility for what you've done and find this as an opportunity to change, do the right thing. I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't see the good in you. You're a good man."

Dan thought of the blame he continued to place on Lucifer through the years, the dark choices he made to seek justice, the way he acted out while mourning the loss of a friend and lover.

"Dan, I know you're going through a lot right now, and I want to help you through that, but right now-"

"Right now, I don't want anything to do with you guys." He met his eyes to Amenadiel for the first time that visit, and the Angel tilted his head to the side in defeat, seeing the icy stare. Dan was hurt and relying on his anger to get him through his revelation.

"I know you don't mean that." Amenadiel looked up to the empty whiteboard, knowing what used to be there. "If you meant that, then you wouldn't have sacrificed your case to protect Maze and Chloe. They are still your friends, and you still care about them." Dan was silent, trying his best to remain cold.

"What you're going through, you're not alone. You know, when Charlotte first learned about us, she was scared of going to Hell, too. She knew that's where she belonged after everything she did in her life, but she changed. She made an effort." Dan's eyes softened at the sound of her name, and he swallowed back a mix of emotions, working their way up to his chest. "I want to tell you everything, and I know you'd find a lot of clarity, but right now, Dan, we need you. Please, still see me as your friend and know I need your help."

Dan dropped his head back, looking at the drop ceiling tiles. He didn't know what he had to offer an Angel of God, but a part of him was intrigued. Still holding a grudge, Dan pushed himself off the chair's armrest and stood tall with arms folded around across his chest. "I'm not promising anything, but what do you need help with?"

"Chloe's missing."

* * *

It felt as if her brain was going to burst through her skull, shattering it to pieces. Her head throbbed in pain from the nape of her neck to her forehead, and a steady, pounding pulse rang out into her ears. She could feel her eardrums vibrate with every beat.

Chloe moved her head slightly, wanting the pain to stop, and her cheek caressed along a smooth, cold surface as she laid on her side. Not understanding the state she was in and not able to open her eyes just yet, Chloe furrowed her brows forcing her to moan in discomfort. As her skin wrinkled into confused lines, she felt something dry sticking to her skin. The air blew a cold kiss onto the open gash on her forehead, and she felt exposed to the unwelcomed burn.

Taking in a deep breath through her nose, she picked up the smell of wet cement and freshly cut wood, sending her back to a flash of a memory. Chloe remembered finding a fallen bird's nest in her backyard when she was young and running to her father with the eggs nestled in her hands. That day, she helped her dad build a birdhouse from scratch in their garage, and it was a memory she thought she had forgotten. She remembered the warm, comforting smell of the wood being sawed into and watching the sawdust fly into the sun's light. Watching it sway slowly with the leaves, Chloe would lay under the tree and watch the bright, blue birdhouse hang from the thickest tree branch. A door slamming in the distance brought Chloe back to her reality, and she felt her bare shoulder dig into the hard cement floor.

"Is she still passed out?"

Chloe bit down on her tongue to subside the pain running throughout her body as she tried to focus on her surroundings. The man's voice sounded familiar, and she listened as his footsteps grew closer to her body. Even if she were to open her eyes, Chloe would not see the people behind her as her back faced them.

"Yes, and I'm growing bored. When can I kill her?" A woman's voice made Chloe's muscle tense and shutter. She swallowed painfully down her dry throat, trying to pinpoint the woman in the room.

"You're not going to kill her. Not yet, anyway."

High heels clicked against the cement, growing closer to Chloe, and she felt a chill prickle down her spine. The shoe's tip touched the back of her neck, and the woman crouched down, tracing a light finger around Chloe's face. Tucking Chloe's loose hair behind her ear, the woman smiled at the open wound that produced a stream of dried blood down the human's face. "I don't get it. What's the big deal with this human? She's cute in all, but what is it?"

"I can't speak for my brother and his odd attachment to this one, but I know that she's somewhat special."

Chloe waited for the woman to walk away before opening her eyes. The muted tones of tan, grey, and black mixed into one massive blur as her eyes tried to focus into view.

"Special?" By this point, Chloe recognized the man's voice to be Michael, and through past conversations with the team, she made the strong assumption Lilith was behind her. "What do you mean?"

"When I met her, she didn't turn. It was as if there were a force around her protecting her from my abilities."

Her eyes glided up and down the drywall in front of her and the exposed metal supporting beams around it. The cement floor, where she laid, was cracked in different lines and stained with black markings. Chloe tried to think of all the locations under construction in LA, and her mind went numb at the endless number of places. She could be anywhere.

"Oh, now that's interesting. What was that?" Lilith's voice sounded almost alarmed as something brought her attention away from Chloe. The Detective began to feel a glimmer of hope that Lucifer had somehow already found her.

"I'm being summoned." And the glimmer of hope faded. Michael physically shook in his stance, fighting the urge to go to his father. "I guess I finally found what drives my father's attention."

"Are you going to respond?"

Chloe found herself in a fetal position, facing a corner of the room, and her eyes scanned, looking for any windows nearby.

"Of course not. I'm done with my father, my brothers. I'm ready to put an end to all of this."

The sound of a match scraping against a hard surface and igniting into life made Chloe's eyes dart up, locating to noise. A single stream of cigarette smoke began to fill the room with a menthol scent, and Chloe laid still, waiting to listen for more of the conversation.

"Well, I hope so. If what you're saying is true about this one, then maybe our Lucifer will finally show us his true colors."

Chloe listened to the high heels, slowly approach her once more.

"I'm betting on it."

She could see a puff of smoke release over her body, and Chloe gently closed her eyes to look asleep. There was a long pause between the two partners, and the woman released a long, dull sigh with another puff of smoke exiting her lungs.

"Can I play now?" The woman's voice was sultry and eager as she spoke out over her shoulder.

"Just don't go overboard. I want to be able to have a coherent conversation with her when you're done."

Lilith snickered as she crouched down behind Chloe, taking in one last drag from her cigarette. Extinguishing the butt end into Chloe's shoulder, the Detective gasped out in a burning pain feeling her flesh melt. As if using an ashtray, Lilith twisted the cigarette, waiting for Chloe to open her eyes.

Chloe watched the half-smoked stick flick across the room as she rolled onto her spine, pressing her back against the cold concrete in hopes it would end the burning sensation. Loose blonde curls draped over her face as she opened her eyes, and she stared at the snake-like grin on the woman above. "And she's awake."

* * *

A green olive swirled lazily in circles, waiting to be plucked by its owner. Maze watched the man across from her through the half-drunken vodka martini. She pinched the skewered olive out of the glass and into her mouth. Cassiel's posture was rigid as he sat on one of Lux's bar stools, winding his head around to take in the establishment his brother called home. The lights that scanned the dance floor in hues of purple and blue were off, and the smell of desperation that reeked off repeating customers still lingered in the air from the night before.

Maze poured another stream of Grey Goose into her glass from behind the bar as her eyes remained glued to Cassiel. "So, should I start calling you, dad?" She could see him cringe at the name as she teased about his intimate relationship with her mother.

"Please, don't." He spun his body to face the vacant dance floor, and his eyes scanned the balcony from above, the stairs leading down onto the leading tier of the nightclub, and the empty semi-circular booths that encompassed the dance floor. He subtly leaned his head back at the sight of his eldest brother in one of the booths. Amenadiel was the strongest of all of them, so he was told, but the current look of dismay and defeat made his brother look almost weak.

The beer bottle's condensation caused the wrapper to soften, and Amenadiel couldn't help but pick at the paper, watching it crumble beneath his thumb. He leaned back into the booth, feeling the ribbed leather press into his back, and he avoided his father's gaze. God didn't know what to do or say as he observed the nightclub around him, sitting across from his son in the booth. No one was speaking or looking at one another. It was an odd and uncomfortable experience in which he wanted to break, but all he could do was look down into his glass of red wine. He took a conservative sip from his glass and looked over to the piano, where Lucifer sat in a desolate state.

The bow tie that was a struggle to tighten the night before sat undone and loose around his neck. Lucifer's eyes focused on the dim light glowing off the top of his piano as his mind wondered somewhere no one could reach. He sat in the same tuxedo from the night before, hair undone and eyes dull, lacking in luster. Lucifer hadn't spoken since the night before, and he began to forget how his voice even sounded. He tried to find the single emotion he was feeling, but it was indescribable. It wasn't fear, hate, anger, or anxiety, but a combination of it all. It was overwhelming in the sense that all he could feel was nothing. He was numb.

Linda sat beside him on the piano bench, looking down at the sharp, black keys. She remembered the night before, and the shock everyone felt at the unsettling news of Chloe's disappearance. Lucifer had plummeted down into her living room out of thin air with a look of loss and a voice ringing out in pain. He was talking so fast and moving around like a marble in a pinball machine, Amenadiel had to hold his brother in place to get a clear picture of what was wrong. The last words he spoke were, "Lilith has Chloe," before the air in his lungs vanished. His hands clung to his chest as he tried to fight the blockade in his throat, searching for air. Lucifer's face began to turn a dark shade of red as the panic took over his body, and Linda immediately ran to her patient, trying to calm him.

Everyone split up that night, searching for Michael or Lilith, but Amenadiel secretly knew it was no use. They had done this charade before and knew they could not be found. A voice in the back of Lucifer's mind also told him this, but he refused to listen as he searched all night. Cassiel, still new to this world and the faces close to his brothers, stuck by Lucifer's side. He asked so many questions about what was happening, who Chloe was, why Michael didn't appear at his summons, but he received nothing in return.

Everyone could see the look of deep despondency on Lucifer as he stared out onto the top of his piano. His fingers had a mind of their own as they began to play a few melancholic chords, drawing everyone's attention to the piano. The silence finally broke as Lucifer closed his eyes, letting his fingers roam on their own, and Linda watched his hands dance across the keys. He opened his eyes and began to play Claude Debussy's "Claire De Lune," with eyes lazily focused on the edge of his piano.

Amenadiel looked over his shoulder, sharing a long, hesitant look with Maze. Grabbing his empty bottle and making a subtle gesture at his father, Amenadiel left the booth to reconvene the group at the bar. Linda slid off the bench quietly, but her patient didn't take notice of her absence. They all leaned against the bar, listening to the chords build behind them. Maze chugged the rest of her drink back, slamming the martini glass back down on the counter. "So, you ready to tell us your secret plan there, Captain?"

All eyes were on Amenadiel, and everyone hoped he was ready to speak on where he slipped away earlier that morning. "He still has time. I'm not losing hope just yet."

Maze furrowed her brow as she brought up five clean scotch glasses to the counter and a bottle of Henry McKenna. She thought about all of the allies she was aware of in LA, and she began to go down her list of men that Amenadiel would rely on. A new presence at the top of the Lux stairs pulled Maze's attention away from her bartending, and she pulled up another glass. With everyone's backs turned away, Maze gestured her chin up, and everyone turned around.

Dan walked down the stairs with a leather satchel hanging from his shoulder. He was confused by the scene before him and some of the unfamiliar faces. Gripping the leather strap, Dan stood in between a lone Lucifer playing the piano and a group awaiting his first words. "This is the search party, huh?"

Amenadiel released a long sigh of relief; happy Dan was able to push his confusion aside for Chloe's sake. "Dan, I'm so-"

Dan lifted a hand to stop Amenadiel's words of appreciation. "I'm here for Chloe. That's it." He swung his bag onto a free barstool and retrieved his laptop while scanning the group before him. "Who are these two?"

Amenadiel made his way to Cassiel, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "This is my brother, Cassiel."

"Another angel?" Dan's eyes subtly glossed over Cas's body as if hidden wings were going to pop out at any minute.

"Brother, he's just a human." Cassiel lowered his voice for only Amenadiel to hear, worried that another human was exposed to the divine power.

"It's okay; he's my friend. Yes, another angel. And this is- this is Ed." Amenadiel shared a glance with Maze, and her eyes darted down to her drink, knowing it was a lie. If Dan was still getting used to the idea of Divinity, he didn't want to hit him with one more blow, losing their likelihood of finding Chloe. Dan did not need to know God was standing before him, not now anyway. "This is Dan. I think he'll be a key asset in helping us find Chloe."

Maze pushed a glass of bourbon toward Dan as a peace offering, but he pushed the drink back, avoiding her gaze. She knew he had learned the truth through Linda. A part of her was relieved he was now a part of the truth, but another part of her feared the loss of a friend. He lifted his laptop, waiting for it to load into life, and his eyes wandered over to Lucifer. "What's going on with him?"

Lucifer pressed harder into the keys as the song continued to build, and he moved his head in a subdued nod to the melody. He didn't notice his newest guest in Lux, and his dazed eyes slowly closed as he felt the song move through him. Amenadiel looked over his shoulder, and his eyes softened on his brother. "He's- He's…"

Maze crossed her arms, interrupting a stuttering Amenadiel. "Don't worry about him. He's fine."

"He doesn't seem fine." Dan looked back at the group around the bar, and each wore a face of guilt. They all knew Lucifer was the opposite of fine, and it scared them that he had been mute since the night before. He wasn't known to be this quiet and static during times of crisis. Dan didn't understand how everyone was so calm and how Lucifer was doing nothing. "Chloe's missing, and he's just playing the piano? Why isn't he out there trying to find her?" Dan pushed himself off the stool and began to charge across the dance floor.

"Dan, don't. He's been looking. He just needs space before going back out there." Linda tried to stop him by holding back his arm, but he maneuvered his shoulder and broke free from her clutch.

"Really? Because it looks like he's given up to me."

God tilted his head, impressed with the human's gumption to take on the Devil. The angst that radiated off of him was an exciting sight. "He is not speaking with us."

Dan moved his sleeves further up his forearm. "Maybe because no one's pissed him off enough." He proceeded to walk away from the group, and Dan slammed a hand down on the end of the piano.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lucifer's eyes remained closed, and his fingers lightly pressed down on the keys. "I thought you cared about her? She is out there alone, and this is what you're doing?" Dan watched Lucifer move his head to the melody, not listening to the world around him. "This isn't you, Lucifer. You always go out of your way to protect her. I've seen it first hand- you stop at nothing. You're the Devil for God's sake." His eyes searched for any sign of life, but Lucifer continued to play his song.

Removing his hand from the piano, Dan placed his hands on his hips, scoffing. "Wow, maybe the Devil has gone soft. You're pathetic." There was no response, and Dan began to shake his head. Turning around to see the audience before him, Dan took one step and stopped himself. He thought about the hate he put on himself through the years. The dark, horrible things he would tell himself, but could never come to admit. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a familiar face.

Lucifer was the Devil. Everything Dan had seen in movies, read in the bible, heard in songs was all based on the man sitting before him, playing the piano. But he wasn't just the Devil; he was the same Lucifer he had known since they walked into this nightclub on the night of a famous pop-singers murder. As much as he didn't want to admit it, they were similar in their fear of failing the ones they love. Dan saw the same face on the Devil as he had worn after losing Charlotte. He was lost and blaming himself for it all. Dan knew the "what-ifs" haunted Lucifer as much as it haunted him when he found Charlotte lifeless.

What if he got there five minutes sooner? What if he never left to find his brother? What if he just fought Michael in that small Mexican restaurant and ended it all right there?

Dan prepared himself as he smacked his sharp tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I wish you had never come back here, Lucifer. If something happens to Chloe, it's your fault." He turned his back on the Devil and began to walk back to the bar with a smirk on his face. By observing the surprised looks on the group in front of him, he had a feeling he struck the right nerve. The dancing keys came to a stop, and everyone ducked as the piano flew across the nightclub, shattering to wooden shards.

Immediately regretting his words, Dan watched as a towering shadowy figure approached him from behind, and he could smell Lucifer's cologne. Turning his head slowly, Dan bit down on his tongue at the sight of burnt flesh and muscle standing over him. The fiery red eyes would forever be burned into Dan's memory, and he fought the voices in his head, telling him to run. Lucifer's hands gripped around Dan's bomber jacket lapel, pulling him in closer. Dan flinched at the sight of exposed muscle and tendons on a living being.

Maze slowly sipped her bourbon back, smirking at the sight before as the rest watched in fear. He was exposed, unsightly, and frightening, but Dan held his ground. Forcing himself to look the Devil in the eyes, Dan's face softened, seeing the powerless look stuck behind the red eyes.

"It's not my fault." Lucifer's voice roared over the silence, and his chest heaved from the release of heavy guilt.

"I know," Dan whispered back, hoping the Devil's grip would soon release. "But, you feel that anger? That power? That's what we need right now, Lucifer. Chloe needs the Devil right now. You need to help us." He watched the exposed cartilage around Lucifer's nose expand and flare as he huffed out a hot breath like a bull ready to fight.

Lucifer shoved Dan back, releasing his grip on the detective. Rolling his head around in a circle, Lucifer returned to his olive-toned flesh, and he smoothed a hand over his untamed hair. With a look of embarrassment by his moment of weakness and a quick avoidance of the group's eyes from the bar, Lucifer bowed his head in Dan's direction. "Thank you." The numbness he placed on himself finally cleared, and Lucifer felt the fire he needed roar within once more.

Dan shook the nerves that still lingered in his body from the sight he just witnessed, and he gave Lucifer a quick pat on the back. "I thought you needed it."

Amenadiel handed Lucifer a glass of bourbon with a small smile on his lips, happy that his brother had returned to his senses. "Welcome back, Luci."

Taking a large gulp back of the light brown liquid, Lucifer darted his eyes back to Dan, who took his place on one of the barstools. "He's your doing, I assume."

"He's here to help."

Cassiel slowly raised his hand from behind the group as he sniffed the bourbon in his cup. "I don't mean any offense here, but how can a human help us?"

Dan typed away at this computer as Maze leaned over the bar to see what he was doing. "Great question."

"This human can help by using something called mobile phone tracking."

Linda was holding onto Chloe's clutch at the bar, and she pulled out her phone to show Dan. "It's no use. Her phone was left behind."

Dan shook his head as his eyes remained closed on his screen. "That's not the phone I'm tracking."

* * *

A splitting headache still lingered behind her eyes and radiated along the top of her head, causing her eyes to blur from time to time. With a cut on her left cheekbone, a bruise around her right eye, and a poorly healed gash on her forehead, one would think Chloe walked away from a beating of a lifetime. Her black strapless gown was shredded at the bottom, and the natural slit up along her thigh was torn across her knees. The corset boning around her torso dug into her ribcage, making it difficult and uncomfortable to breathe at times. Chloe's right foot was missing a heel, causing her to limp around the room, and she finally kicked off the other shoe, hoping no stag nails were loose on the floor.

The kidnappers left Chloe untied and freed to roam the room she was trapped in, not believing she had enough strength to fight her way through an angel and a demon. Tiptoeing to the door, Chloe pressed her ear to the metal blockade and listened to the low muffled voices, but nothing came through. Chloe closed her eyes, trying to silence the pounding pulses echoing in her eardrums as she listened to their conversation. Michael had to leave for a quick visit up north, and Lilith didn't seem happy by the news, calling "Remy" clingy. Turning around and leaning her back against the door, Chloe's eyes adjusted to the darkness.

After a warm, painful greeting from Lilith and an amateur interrogation from Michael, Chloe was left in the room with no light source. Chloe felt along the drywall for any outlets, but only found open sockets with loose wiring. Her eyes began to make out the shapes of objects around the room: the chair Michael sat in, the row of thick candles on a table, a stack of two-by-fours in the corner of the room, a rolled-up cot below a thin line of light. She squinted her eyes, following the neon blue's glow, and her hands felt around the square outline. Wedging her fingers into the board, Chloe heard the wood crack and release from its hold on the wall.

A smooth breeze floated her hair back as she stared out onto the brightly lit US Bank Tower. The skyscraper looked only an arms reach away being this high up, but realistically she was a few blocks from the building. Slowly creeping her head through the opening, Chloe looked down and found herself twenty stories high in downtown LA. She tried recognizing the street below and her surroundings to think of where she was, but she didn't recognize the empty streets. The building was stately with grey stone and glass, but once the building reached the sixteenth floor, the windows began to look blocked and guarded by plywood. Men stood six-feet apart with their backs to the building, guarding the main entrance. Lilith's demon minions, Chloe assumed.

Two figures from below walked out of the building with a bulldog in tow, and Chloe's eye lit up, recognizing the area. The Emerson Luxury Living Complex had been under construction for the past year as the property management company began renovating its existing apartments. The company recently announced expanding its complex to include loft living experiences on the Emerson's top floors, but construction soon halted due to permit issues. Chloe's smile tightened her cheeks' muscles, causing the cut on her cheekbone to crack and bleed through the natural band-aid made of dried blood. She knew where she was, but it was now a matter of getting out.

She hadn't been practicing for long and didn't know her stamina just yet, but she thought a rush of adrenaline could finish the task. Chloe reached for the bullet necklace around her neck but just felt flesh. Her hands frantically searched around her chest, waiting for the beading of the chain or the heavy gold piece between her breasts, but nothing was there. Dropping to the floor, her hands scanned the cement floor feeling for the broken necklace with the help of LA's brightly lit city skyline beaming in. She searched the entire ten by twelve room, and upsettingly gave up, pressing her body back into the corner.

Propping her knees up into a wide stance, she balanced her elbows on her knees and dropped her head in defeat. "Think. Think." From the look of the cot in the corner of the room, Chloe assumed this was the same room Michael hid away in, concocting his plan. Chloe followed the beam of light to the table across the room, cluttered with paperwork, blueprints, and baskets filled with cables and bolts. She pushed herself off the ground and began searching through the mess in hopes of a box cutter, hammer, or any information Michael accidentally left behind. A black charging wire sat in between the baskets, and Chloe quickly pushed everything aside to follow the thin chord.

Her fingers glided along with the short protective casing, down the wall, and behind the table to a charging port in an electrical outlet frame. Looking at the end of the chord, Chloe knew it attached to a phone, and she looked over her shoulder to gauge how much more time she had to be alone. Her search grew more eager as she sifted through the building's plans, and her hands felt underneath the table for any compartments. A single drawer hung below the left side of the table, and Chloe yanked it open to find a few spare paper clips, a highlighter, and a phone. She quickly pressed the smartphone's side buttons, hoping for a glow of light and an image of an apple, but the phone remained dark.

It had been weeks since Ella had heard from Michael, and his phone became useless after that night in the restaurant. He probably forgot that this phone was even left in here, she thought to herself. Chloe fumbled with the chord nervously as she waited for the lightning connector to enter the phone's base, and with a simple click upon entry, the metal door flung open, bringing in a burst of light from the hallway. "What do you think you're doing?"

Chloe turned around in surprise, banging her hip into the edge of the table. She watched from the corner of her eye the phone fall behind the desk out of sight. Squinting her eyes to the bright light, Chloe watched Lilith kick the door closed behind her with the spike of her stiletto, and she took a few steps back as the demon grew closer.

The strong, cold face, Chloe tried to maintain excited Lilith, and her lips slithered out into a sinister smile, watching the challenge before her stop at the wall. Chloe could only take so many steps back, and now there was nowhere to go.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

Chloe clenched her torn dress, bracing herself for another powerful open palm to the face, and the demon tilted her head, waiting for Chloe to respond, but just like before, she kept her mouth shut.

"That was always my thing about humans- you all talk so much. And it's never anything interesting; it's all meaningless, really. But not you." Lilith had her hands clasped behind her body since she had walked into the room, and she finally relaxed her shoulders to reveal a long, narrow dagger in her right hand. "Have you ever killed someone before?" She pointed the end of the blade at Chloe as if to replace her pointer finger.

Swallowing hard and feeling her muscle tense at the shine of the dagger in the city's light, Chloe kept her lips forced shut.

"Of course, you haven't. You don't seem like the type. It's an exhilarating experience watching the life vanish from their eyes." Lilith began walking in circles reminiscing on her latest kills, bringing forth more of her children from Hell. "Humans do whatever they can to hold onto this world, not knowing what's really out there. Each one begs on their knees, asking to be spared, spitting out the names of their family like it will make a difference." Her middle finger teased up and down the blade as she turned to look back at Chloe.

"You're different. I hit you; I kick you, and nothing." She walked a straight line to Chloe and pressed the blade's flat edge against Chloe's chin, forcing their eyes to meet. "I think you like it. I mean, it makes sense knowing you're Lucifer's plaything." Lilith forced her body up against Chloe's, pinning her up against the wall and her left hand squeezed around Chloe's chin, forcing her plump lips to pucker. Jerking Chloe's head to the side, Lilith pressed her lips to the human's ear. "He has a way to make it hurt in all the right places. I'd know." The edge of her tongue lightly teased Chloe's earlobe, and she released a loud laugh when Chloe pushed the demon off of her.

"Oh, that stung, didn't it? Did he not tell you about us? Well, that hurts." Lilith playfully pouted her lips. "It was just so salacious knowing the Devil was the only one who could truly punish me. You should have seen him through the rebellion." Lilith scooped a piece of her loose curled hair behind her ear, moaning in pleasure, remembering the past. "Unlike Adam, Lucifer treated me like dirt, and it was- it was amazing. I still remember the day when the prince of darkness was shoved out of the city. I had to return to keeping Adam and Eve on a tight leash, and it just wasn't as fun."

Her eyes grew darker as she remembered the rumors that began to stir in the Silver City. "It was exciting to hear the king of Hell was pulling an early retirement, creating chaos on Earth. I thought it was finally time to have some fun, to be reunited with my children, and to run the world red, but things changed. He changed." Lilith slowly looked down at Chloe in disgust. "And now I see why."

Chloe's eyes looked to the door behind Lilith and thought of the different scenarios in her head in which she could get out. None of the scenes played out to a happy ending when she knew an uncertain number of demons lurked as guards. Her eyes darted back to the demon as the blade shone in the light once more, and she felt the sharp end of the dagger prick the skin over her heart.

"Why You? What are you?"

Chloe winced as the blade's edge broke through the first layer of skin, and she licked her lips closed, preparing herself for the pain.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

Breathing in a sharp breath, feeling the blade move across her skin, Chloe looked down to her chest and watched Lilith carve half of a heart above her breast.

"If you don't tell me, I'll just have to open you up and find out myself."

Chloe closed her eyes, fighting the nerves in her system, begging herself to light up. She thought of Trixie, Lucifer, Maze, her father, but her skin continued to maintain its light complexion. Lilith turned her wrist and completed the heart, carving the dagger up and over. A thin line of blood broke through the freshly cut skin, and a single tear squeezed its way out of Chloe's closed eyes, falling straight down her cheek.

Lilith licked the droplet of blood dangling from her blade, and her eyes scanned the rest of Chloe's body, looking where to carve next. Spinning the dagger around, the demon gripped the base tightly, and she shoved the blunt, round end forcefully into Chloe's stomach, making her curl over in pain. The human slowly fell to the floor with the wind knocked out of her, and she continued to gasp for air as Lilith pushed Chloe's hip back onto the floor. Lying on her back, Chloe watched Lilith stand over her, tapping the edge of the dagger on her chin in contemplation.

Chloe rolled her head to the side in pain, not wanting to look the demon in the face. Just as she was about to close her eyes, Chloe caught a glimpse of white glowing from below the desk. Michael's phone dangled a few inches above the cement floor, lighting into life.

* * *

"We're closed!" Maze slammed the Lux entrance closed as a group of men waited outside, and she bolted the locks with an exaggerated arm to force the group to leave. Walking down the main stairs into the nightclub, Cassiel followed behind the demon, placing his hair up into a twist. "Did you find anything yet?"

Dan plummeted his finger down onto the keyboard, refreshing the page, but the tracker was blank. "Nothing, yet." The Devil sat up with a small glimmer of hope as Maze and Cassiel returned from their mission, but from the look on his demon's face, he knew the answer he didn't want to hear.

Amenadiel placed a hand on his brother's back before standing from his stool. "How was the factory?" He had tasked Maze and Cassiel to search the factory where the first demon ambush took place in hopes the demons would return or a clue was left behind. Maze flipped her hell-forged daggers back and forth over her hand with a quick shake of her head. "Did you at least search the area? Maybe they're somewhere nearby."

"We did. The whole area is deserted." Cassiel folded his arms across his brass plated chest, taking his place beside his father. "How were the homes?"

Lucifer and Amenadiel searched the different properties under Lucifer's name through California in case Michael decided to take advantage of his brother's wealth and free shelter. "Nothing on our end."

A small voice from behind the group made everyone turn around. Linda was feeding Charlie a spoonful of pureed carrots from one of the booths. "How long has it been?"

Refusing to look everyone in the eyes, Lucifer stared down at his bourbon, swirling the brown liquid in small circles. "Going on 24 hours." Lux fell silent as everyone began to look off into the distance, knowing it was not looking good for Chloe. "Try Michael again." The Devil's voice was hoarse and drained as he spoke out.

"Samael, I have tried many times today. He is not coming."

Amenadiel bowed his head in his father's direction in thanks, knowing Lucifer would not make an effort.

"Don't touch that!" Everyone jerked their head toward the end of the bar, where they found Maze trying to push Dan aside. Her finger rapidly pushed down on the refresh button, and Dan grabbed the edges of his laptop, pulling it away from her. "You're going to break it."

A ding sounded out from Dan's laptop, making everyone pause like statues. Dan's shoulder tensed as he hunched over the keyboard, bringing his eyes in closer to the laptop's screen. "It worked."

"You're welcome." Maze smirked, leaning in over his shoulder to read the screen. After Amenadiel's visit that morning, Dan had time to think about the kind of man he wanted to be, the kind of father he wanted to be to Trixie. At the end of his long pacing and internal debate, Dan knew that Chloe was still Chloe at the end of the day. She was always the mother of his child, and one of the oldest friends he had.

He remembered the story Chloe told him about Michael being the reason Lucifer returned from Hell. How Maze almost lost her life at her mother's request. If it was true that Lilith and Michael had an alliance, then finding one would be easier than both. Dan didn't find it challenging to distract Ella in her lab, and while her eyes were glued to the samples before her, Dan snuck her phone below the counter. He forwarded Michael's contact information to himself and took it from there.

Amenadiel stepped forward, waiting for the two amazed faces on the screen to speak. "Dan, is it Michael?"

"His phone just activated. Hold on; it's still trying to pinpoint the exact location." Both Maze and Dan's eyes narrowed as the 3D mapping continued to zoom into a set of locations. "Flower Street and Wilshire Blvd. Downtown LA? There's a lot of buildings down-"

A large gust of wind blew everyone's hair back, and by the time they looked up, Lucifer was gone. Rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, Amenadiel extended his grey wings out wide, and Cassiel followed suit spreading his caramel brown wings.

"Don't wait up for us." Maze gave a firm pat on Dan's back, and his mouth slowly dropped open in awe at the sight of the wings before him. Gripping her blades tighter into her hands, Amenadiel picked up Maze into his arms, and both angels disappeared into thin air.

Dan slowly raised a finger to the now vacant bar stools, not knowing what to say.

"Yeah, you get used to it." He looked over to Linda, who puffed out her cheeks and exaggerated chewing motions at her son with another spoonful of food.

* * *

Maze hopped out of Amenadiel's hold as the angels landed beside their brother on an LA rooftop. "I'm assuming that's it?"

Three angels and a demon looked down on the building diagonally across the street. The building was shorter than the rooftop they stood on by ten floors, and the top floor windows were boarded up for construction from their view. All four stared down to the street below them and observed the five demons dressed in their human capsules casually standing guard on the sidewalk near the main entrance, and another group of ten standing watch on the rooftop.

"Good guess." Cassiel pressed his knuckles into one another, releasing loud cracks as he prepared for the fight before him. Biting her bottom lip and scanning the rest of the street, Maze's fingers gripped tighter around her blades.

"Where there are demons, there's Lilith." Amenadiel looked over to Lucifer, whose eyes were glowing a deep red. "Luci, we need to think this through. What if we come across Michael? Lilith? We haven't talked about how we're going to deal with them."

"Lilith's mine." Maze and Cassiel spoke out in unison, and both the angel and demon furrowed their brows at the sound of each other's voices. Leaning their heads forward to look around Amenadiel and Lucifer between them, they shared a small competitive glance.

"She's my mom. There's a lot of history there."

"She played me. She took advantage of me. She broke my heart and trapped me in my own hell loop." Cassiel pointed to himself with a stiff finger digging into his brass chest plate.

Rolling her eyes around in a circle, Maze began to laugh. "Oh, boohoo. I've been waiting my whole life for this, okay?"

Amenadiel pushed Maze back out of sight from his brother. "Stop it. We need to be a team on this. You two obviously feel the same way about Lilith, so you can work together to find her. Think about Chloe."

"Fine." Maze reluctantly walked behind the group to join Cassiel's side, avoiding his stare. "So, how are we going to start this thing?"

Amenadiel stepped forward to the edge of the rooftop. "They're expecting us to land on the roof, but it looks like there are fewer demons on the ground. I think we should start there and work our way up. Five of them, four of us. Lucifer, what do you think?"

Cassiel and Maze looked to their left, and Amenadiel turned around to find Lucifer missing. They all spun around back to the building before them, looking around for the angel's white wings.

Maze clutched her blades tighter. "Where is he?" She felt a soft breeze from Amenadiel wings unfurling quickly, and Cassiel picked her up into his arms at the command of his brother.

"He's starting it. Let's go."

* * *

Chloe felt like her skin was inflamed and swollen as her eyes scanned the mix of deep and shallow cuts along her arms. Her head pounded, and every breath she took in felt like a sharp stabbing pain to her torso. Pushing herself up from the fetal position she took from Lilith's kicks, Chloe held her ribcage as she sat up, leaning against the wall.

Lilith's roots were growing wet with sweat, and she leaned against the wall, taking a cigarette to her lips. The mother of demons wasn't going to admit that she was growing fatigued from her torture, but she wasn't expecting the human to hold out for so long. They stared at one another in silence, and a puff of smoke lingered between them, stale in the air.

A scream from outside drew both of the women's attention to the carved out window. Balancing the cigarette between the corner of her lips, Lilith walked to the window, knowing Chloe didn't have the strength even to blink her eyes. Popping her head out of the opening, the demon watched a woman run away from the building screaming at the top of her lungs. She looked to where the woman was running from, and it led Lilith back to the sidewalk below her, where one of her demons was thrown over a man's shoulder.

Lilith recognized the golden blonde hair tied into a knot and the dark-skinned beauty fighting beside him. "Who would have thought." She flicked her cigarette out the window, and she leaned comfortably on her arms to watch the show below her. "I honestly thought it would take them a bit longer, but they're here."

Chloe slowly moved her head to the side to watch the demon lean out the window. The gash on her forward was reopened with the assistant of Lilith, and a new, slow stream of blood ran down her nose and onto her cheek. The gorey, bleeding heart on her chest began to dry, and her whole body throbbed a numbing pain. Still holding onto her ribcage, Chloe tried to make sense of Lilith's commentary.

"I wasn't expecting Cas, though."

Whispering out for only her own ears, Chloe's eyes began to swell with tears. "They're here." She released a silent sob, and the relief was too painful to continue. Rolling her head to the other side, Chloe focused her eyes on the stack of different lengthened two-by-fours, and she took in a deep breath through her nose, growing more determined to stand. Chloe dragged her feet in, but they felt weighed down by cement.

"They're cute, working together."

"You're not scared? They're going to destroy you." Lilith lit up at the sound of Chloe's voice, but she couldn't take her eyes off of the fight below her. Chloe pushed her back up against the wall, and her body slowly dragged it's way up to a weak standing position.

"It speaks!" She giggled, leaning her head against the window's wooden frame. "No, angels don't scare me."

A heavy mass hurtled down onto the rooftop above them, shaking the building, and Lilith braced herself against the window. They both looked up, locating the powerful force, and a chilling roar echoed out into LA's night sky. Chloe's pain suddenly melted away as she recognized the roar to be one she remembered from her night in The Mayan.

A second wave of energy and adrenaline surged through Chloe, and she released her hand from her ribcage. "You should be scared of that one."

Lilith quickly turned around, and with a shorter piece of two-by-four lumber in her hands, Chloe swung the flat end across Lilith's face, making the demon lose her balance. As Lilith stumbled, Chloe lifted the wood high above her head, and she swooped the plank down onto the top of Lilith's head.

The demon found her footing and waited for the most opportune time. Chloe raised the plank once more above her head, and Lilith tackled Chloe's exposed torso back onto the floor.

* * *

Lucifer drove his body down onto the rooftop of the Emerson, releasing a pent-up rage from within. He landed in the epicenter of the demon circle and he waited for someone to make a move. His body was triple the size of his normal self and he felt the weight of his black wings expand to his side. Lucifer had never felt stronger than he did now.

Four demons from behind began to charge toward the monster before them and Lucifer spun his black, bat-like wings in a wide circle, throwing the stunned demons off the roof.

Two demons from Lucifer's right jumped onto his side, but he did not waver. He grabbed one body by the neck, squeezing the life out of him like a useless toy and the other demon fell to the ground. Lucifer drove his fist down to the fallen demon, crushing his skull in the process.

The last four demons ganged up together to take on their old ruler. His eyes scorched a burning red as he watched them walk around him like hungry predators. One demon in the form of a young man in a blue LA Dodgers baseball cap howled out a war cry as he ran toward Lucifer. The Devil took a knee, impaling the demon with the tusk-like horn on the tip of his wing and he shook his shoulder back to free his wing from the extra weight. Lucifer watched the body slide off the edge of his wing and onto the ground.

One demon in the form of a middle-aged blonde woman teamed up with another demon in the form of a young woman with tattoo sleeves on both arms. They ran at full speed toward the red figure before them and Lucifer cupped both of their heads in his hands, colliding the skulls together. He stepped over their lifeless bodies and approached the last demon standing alone on the edge of the roof.

The demon, in the form of a middle-aged man in a plaid robe and slippers, bowed his knee to his past king. The last act of mercy did not faze Lucifer and he lifted the man above his head, chucking the body off the ledge of the Emerson. His chest heaved up and down as he looked around for any newcomers to the fight. Standing alone on the rooftop, Lucifer cried out a piercing roar once more before forging his way through the emergency rooftop door and down to the floors below him.

* * *

A demon in the form of a teenage surfer was thrown through the glass entry doors to the Emerson building. Amenadiel dragged the boy's face through the shattered glass, and the angel lifted the body, pinning it against the wall. "Where's Lilith?"

The boy shined his bloody gums and teeth as he laughed, not giving away any information. Amenadiel felt a sudden glob of blood slap against his cheek as the boy spit into the angel's face. Before he could lift the demon higher, Maze chucked one of her daggers from a distance into the boy's side, killing him instantly.

"Let's go!" Maze's yell from a distance caught the angel's attention. Amenadiel didn't notice that Maze and Cassiel made their way into the building behind him, and they waited for him on the back red-carpeted stairwell. A forceful shove threw Maze into the brass railing along the stairs, and she turned around prepared to fight but found Cassiel protecting her from two demons running down from the floor above.

Amenadiel double-stepped his way up the stairs to join in the fight, and Maze looked back over her shoulder to the set of double elevator doors dinging home into the lobby. "Guys!"

Two pairs of demons popped out of both elevators adding to the battle. One of the demons, in the form of a construction worker, snapped a chain of metal rings taught in both of his hands, and his partner teased the serrated saw in their hand.

Amenadiel jumped in front of Maze and Cassiel at the base of the main stairwell, expanding his wings. "Go. I got this. Find Lilith."

Hesitating to leave her friend, Cassiel dragged Maze's elbow up the stairs.

* * *

It wasn't just her cuts that bled, but Chloe's knuckles began to crack and flow with every blow she struck. Everything was happening so quickly, and she was draped in Lilith's long, coarse blonde hair that whipped around her face. The two women were in a full tackle and arm lock on the ground.

Chloe found an opening, and rolled on top of Lilith, taking the demon's hair tightly into her fists. She repetitively slammed Lilith's head into the cracked cement floor, and the demon's long nails clawed into Chloe's arm, causing her to hiss out from the sting.

Curling her legs in and digging her heels into Chloe's stomach, Lilith kicked the human off of her with all of her strength.

Chloe's body flew back, and she felt a rib cage crack upon impact with the wall. Her head slammed against the plaster wall, and Chloe's body naturally slid down to the floor in agony.

Lilith quickly stood, flipping her hair back out of the way. The demon looked completely unhinged with a few nasty cuts and bruises along her face. She staggered her way toward Chloe and placed both of her hands around the detective's shoulders. Lilith's hands pressed harder into Chloe's sides as she lifted her off the ground. With a quick force of motion, Chloe yelled out at the snap and pop sounding from her right shoulder. The demon released her grip on the human and watched her collapse to the floor.

Chloe's arm felt numb and lifeless, lying useless beside her body. She sobbed out a cry from the pain her body was barely withstanding, and Chloe waited for Lilith's next blow. Opening her eyes, Chloe found the demon leaning against the metal exposed beams, trying to catch her breath.

They were too busy fighting one another that they hadn't heard the chaos happening around them. The busy commotion could be heard from the floors below them, and a loud crash sounded from the opposite end of their level. Lilith quickly looked over her shoulder, surprised by how fast the group had made their way up to her. "You're trying to tire me out. You're trying to make it easier for your friends."

Chloe leaned forward onto her knees, and she pushed herself up to her feet, swaying with the trembling limbs below her. Her mobile left arm reached for the plank of wood from before, and Chloe winced as she forced her right arm into action. Gripping both sides of the lumber, Chloe took in a deep breath.

"You seriously want to keep going?" Lilith pushed herself off the wall and flicked a strand of stray hair behind her shoulder. "Okay, let's do-"

Swinging the two-by-four back for the greatest amount of leverage, Chloe whipped the plank up, slamming the flat edge against Lilith's jaw and chin. The demon stumbled back as Chloe grunted out in pain from the unpleasant sting in her right shoulder's socket. Lilith lost her footing and fell back, slamming the top of her head on the end of the desk.

Chloe continued to hold onto the plank, waiting for Lilith to make a sudden charge, but she laid lifeless on the cement. The metal door that trapped her in flung open, and Chloe dropped the two-by-four to the floor at the sight of Maze.

Maze braced her outstretched arms between the door frame and the door as her lips trembled open. She took in the blood, the bruising, and the sliced markings covering her friend's body. A man Chloe didn't recognize suddenly appeared behind Maze, and his eyes softened at the sight of the stranger before him.

"Good. You're here." Chloe could barely speak as she lazily pointed to Lilith lying on the floor behind the door. "I met your mom. I-" A sudden wave of relief passed through Chloe's body, and the adrenaline disappeared. The room began to spin, and the pain that set in became too much for Chloe to see straight.

"Chloe!" Maze lunged forward to catch Chloe as she collapsed to the ground unconsciously.

* * *

Her heavy eyelids barely opened into the white, blinding light. Chloe's eyes came into focus on the bandages wrapped around her arm, and the IV inserted into the top of her right hand. She tried moving her arm but moaned at the uncomfortable, tight feeling in her right dislocated shoulder.

"And look who's back."

It hurt to smile, but it was hard not to at the sound of his voice. His hand squeezed hers, and Chloe rolled her head to the other side of her pillow to find Lucifer sitting by her side.

"Am I dead?" Her voice was dry and cracked as she spoke.

Lucifer quickly kissed the back of her free hand, thankful she was okay. "We both know I can't go where you're headed."

She squeezed his hand back, and Chloe fought the heaviness in her eyes. "Am I dreaming?" The space around his head blurred into watercolors, and his eyes were the only thing coming into focus. Her eyes scanned up to the dimmed overhead hospital lights above her bed, and Lucifer looked down to the tux he hadn't had the time to change out of.

"I'm fully clothed, so it doesn't seem likely."

Chloe's soft laugh brought with it a sharp pain in her side, causing her to close her eyes.

Noticing the pain on her face, Lucifer adjusted himself in his chair, allowing her to squeeze his hand harder. "Chloe, I-"

She quickly shook her head, forcing him to stop. "Don't. Lucifer, this isn't your fault." He looked down to his lap, trying his best to let go of the guilt within himself as the room paused with only the comforting noise of Chloe's heart beat on the monitor. "How's Trixie?"

Lucifer's face relaxed back into a calm smile as his thumb traced across her smooth skin. "She's fine. Dan is going to bring her by in the morning."

Taking her hand back, Chloe quickly smoothed her palm over her face and hair. "I don't want her to see me like this."

Lucifer's eyes softened on her scares, and he bit down on his tongue, feeling the hate build within his stomach.

Moving her hand down her chin, Chloe rested her hand on her chest. "My necklace." She closed her eyes, forgetting that she had lost her gifted necklace in the room. "I lost my necklace."

Lucifer leaned to one side to dig his hand into his pant pocket, and he retrieved the chain wrapped around his fingers. "Lilith had it on her." He watched her whole body relax at the sight of a gold bullet dangling from his right hand. Placing his weight forward, Lucifer wrapped the chain around her collar bone, clasping it closed behind her neck.

"Thank you." Her words barely broke the air. Chloe's body was too tired even to form words, and Lucifer swallowed back a look of worry recognizing it.

"You need to rest, Detective."

Her hand searched for his once more, and there was an urgency in her eyes that pulled Lucifer's attention. "Please, don't go."

He leaned back in his chair with a soft-hearted smile. "I'm not going anywhere." Lucifer watched her heavy eyelids take over, and Chloe's head fell deeper into her pillow. With their fingers intertwined into one another, Lucifer dropped his forehead onto their hands, and he released a sigh of relief, exhaust, and defeat.


	14. A Promise

Dabbing away the dark circles under her eyes with concealer, Chloe watched the light purple and blue lines fade away. A morning glow of light streamed through the high windows of her ensuite bath, highlighting the healing scars on her face. The gash on her forehead had healed to a pale line diagonally above her right eye, the thin cut on her left cheek needed one more day before disappearing, and her lips returned to their soft pink, smooth complexion. The rest of her body wasn't as lucky.

Thin slices healed as raised red lines down her arms and legs, some healing faster than others. Chloe had insisted on wearing a long sleeve, conservative button-up tops to spare her daughter's eyes from her mistreated skin. The lilac top she chose that morning was stiff and uncomfortable, but necessary. It hung open around her sides, waiting to be buttoned, but Chloe paused to stare at the carved healing heart on top of her left breast. Her white tank top made the jagged red lines pop on her smooth skin, and her left fingers lightly touched the uneven edges. Looking up to catch the tears that began to sting in her eyes, Chloe began to hide her body away by quickly buttoning her top with her left fingers.

Her right arm laid useless against her torso, allowing Chloe to grow more comfortable and dexterous with her non-dominate left hand. Chloe swung the black sling around her body and carefully placed her right arm into the cloth support with a small flinch of pain. She played with hair, forcing her bangs to hide the scar on her forehead before walking out into the bedroom.

With a smooth hand across her comforter, Chloe stared down with resentment at her made bed. She used to look forward to sleeping at night, the comfort of her king-size bed, the calmness of the night, but as the sun began to set every day, Chloe's anxiety grew. As the sky darkened, it only meant she had to look forward to the night terrors and restless nights. She would sleep on and off through the night, hoping the sun would finally rise so that she could move on from her mind being trapped in a dark room with Lilith. When her nightmares began, Lucifer would wake beside her, holding her until she was able to calm herself down, but as the dreams persisted, she felt guilty for being the reason behind his interrupted nights. She now would find ways to calm herself, letting Lucifer sleep soundly beside her.

Chloe followed Stevie Wonder's voice down her stairs, through her living room, and into the kitchen. She leaned her good shoulder against the wooden beamed corner, and her eyes widened at the sight before her. Her island was a cluttered mess with different cutting boards covered in diced vegetables and fruit, an open carton of eggs stuck in between separate mixing bowls, and paper towels soaking up something spilled over the edge. Trixie was manning three skillets on the stove as Lucifer cautiously watched over her shoulder.

"You're going to burn the eggs." Lucifer fidgeted with his impatient hands behind Trixie, wanting to take over.

"Stop, I got this." Trixie messily flipped one of the omelets in the skillet closest to her, and a flat edge of egg flopped over the side. Nudging the eggs back into the skillet with her rubber spatula, Trixie released an insecure laugh. "See?" She looked back over her shoulder, growing her laugh at the annoyance on Lucifer's face.

He pointed to the two other skillets, replacing her focus. "Now, just add the cheese and fold one side over."

Trixie bit down on her bottom lip in deep concentration, trying to make her omelets as even as possible. She plated one meal, sprinkled extra cheddar cheese on top, and added thin slices of cantaloupe.

"What's going on here?" Chloe made her way deeper into the kitchen, turning down the music and watching her daughter finish the last two omelets.

"I'm cooking breakfast!" Trixie balanced three plates on her arms, guiding them to the dining table behind the couches, and Chloe took her place on one of the chairs. "I thought Lucifer could use a break."

"That's very sweet of you." Chloe watched her daughter shine down on her work, and she subtly forked out an eggshell from her meal, brushing it off to the side before her daughter could look up. Analyzing his own plate, Lucifer sat down with two mugs of coffee in his hand, gliding one cup to Chloe. With a quick sip, Chloe leaned her head back at the intense flavor. "I think this one's yours." Lucifer quickly exchanged the coffees, taking a quick whiff from the brim to smell the whiskey's comforting scent.

Trixie watched Chloe and Lucifer with anticipation, waiting for them to take their first bites. Hesitantly moving the fork closer to her lips, Chloe bit down with a smile to emphasize the deliciousness of the meal, forcing her daughter to dig into her own plate.

"I didn't know eggs could be so crunchy." Lucifer made a face, forcing himself to swallow the amateur chef's work in his mouth. He felt a forceful foot nudge his shin from under the table, and he remained silent, picking at his meal.

Trixie impatiently tapped her fingers on the counter, chewing down on a thick slice of ham and waiting for someone to notice the flyers. Distracted from their hunt to pick out the small white shells, Chloe and Lucifer kept their eyes close to their plates. Lucifer had been the main chef of the house since Chloe arrived home from the hospital, but this morning, Trixie insisted that she cook, throwing the Devil off his game. As he picked another shell out of his eggs, he immediately regretted his decision to let her do all of it.

"Oh, what is that? How interesting." Trixie reached across the table and slid individual copies of relator ads in front of their plates. Her hopeful eyes set in on the couple, placing their forks down to look at the scattered flyers of different houses and urban-style loft homes.

Chloe's eyes scanned the mix of ranch, modern, contemporary, and craftsman homes. Each piece of paper had a single home highlighted with different details on square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, and bonus information on location benefits. The front and back of the paper had exterior and interior photos of the homes and the footer beamed a picture of a confident realtor ready for the buyer's phone call. Chloe's mouth fell open slightly, not knowing what to make of the stack of houses, and by the third paper, she looked to Lucifer across from her, hoping he too was confused.

The Devil leaned back into his dining chair, sifting through a stack of homes in his hand, and he landed on one in particular, and Chloe caught a small glimmer in his eye. The silence that set in made Trixie grow more anxious, and she pointed down to the stack of flyers to regain her mother's attention. "These were my favorites from the ones available. Sherry said it's a real buyer's market right now, whatever that means. Most of them have a pool- I think that would be nice to have. Oh, and they're all in my school district, so you don't have to worry about that."

Chloe's lips puckered to form words, but her confusion was too overwhelming to speak a full sentence. "Sherry?"

"The realtor. She's super nice." Trixie pointed to the dark-haired woman on the backside of the flyers. Her hair was stiff and voluminous, and the deep blue pantsuit gave off the image of a mediocre politician.

Darting her eyes back to Lucifer, Chloe looked for assistance in this conversation, but he was too engrossed in his flyer to pay attention to the discussion. "I- um- I didn't know you were looking to move out. How much do I pay you for an allowance again?" Chloe's eyes popped at the six to eight figures bolded above the home's main image, and she knew very well it was out of her price range.

Trixie's shoulders sank as she became insecure over her plan. "I just thought we could finally find a home that's ours." Looking down at her plate, she felt her mother's eyes soften on her. Since Trixie had been born, Chloe had been living in rental properties. She and Dan tried to save up for a house but spent their savings on divorce instead. Chloe then tried to find a home in her mother's beach house, but spending her nights on a pull-out couch was not ideal. Their last move was into their current townhome with Maze, and the rent continued to rise each year. "Maybe we can all find a new home together."

Lucifer placed his stack of flyers down, and he felt the sudden urge to drink his Irish inspired coffee as Trixie's eyes fell on him and Chloe formed a giant O with her mouth realizing where this conversation was going. Her fingertips lightly touched the edge of her lips as she watched her daughter wait for any response. "Honey, I didn't know you felt that way."

Trixie's fork picked away at a corner of her omelet, avoiding both of their eyes. "I don't know. It's been nice having Lucifer around for the past week, and I just thought it would be cool if this past week was our normal." There was a short pause at the breakfast table, and Lucifer went to open his mouth to speak, but Trixie continued. "I didn't think it was going to be a big deal with you two since Lucifer moved in with Eve after, like, a week of dating her."

Lucifer stopped his train of thought, and by the look on his face, he was caught off guard. "I- that- well, that was different circumstances. Wait, how did you know about that bit?" He leaned in with a curious chin jutting out.

"My mom had a lot of opinions about that relationship." Trixie rolled her eyes up and over, remembering the rants her mom would come home with while cooking dinner. She was mostly murmuring to herself under her breath, but Trixie put the pieces together.

"Oh, did she now?" Lucifer straightened his posture, placing his attention to Chloe, who sat across from him. There was a teasing smirk on his lips, and Chloe hid behind her coffee, lifting the mug high enough to show off the bottom designer print. "That's funny coming from the woman who got engaged after dating someone for, what was it- two weeks?"

Chloe quickly caught the coffee dripping out of the side of her lips after placing the mug down. "It was a little over a month, and I think it's important to add-" Her eyes darted over to her daughter, who was growing more interested in their conversation. "Nevermind, it doesn't matter anymore." Chloe's eyes focused on the contemporary home in her hands as her mind wandered off in deep thought. "This is a big decision, and we would need to talk about it."

"Okay, so let's talk. I really like this one." Trixie shuffled through the pile to recover a Spanish-styled home that had mature, overgrown ivy crawling up the exterior walls and wrapping around the numerous balconies. A narrow pool elongated along the back of the house, and a tasteful mosaic fountain was featured at the end, creating a warm, intimate space. "There's more than enough room for all of us, a pool, and a six-car garage for Lucifer. And…" Trixie flipped the flyer to the back, pointing an eager finger down on a photo of space above the garage. "... there's a garage apartment for Maze. It's perfect."

Lucifer leaned over in his chair to get a better look at the home in Trixie's hand. "I'm not a fan of the Spanish style."

Trixie pulled out a pen from thin air, surprising both Chloe and Lucifer. "Good to know, I'll make a note of that." She began to scribble a note in the corner of the flyer while pursing her lips in concentration. Trixie spoke as she wrote, "Lucifer equals no Spanish style. Anything else you don't like?"

Lucifer took this question into deep consideration as he began to sift through the flyers, but Chloe moved her hand on top of his to stop the conversation from moving forward. "I meant this is a conversation for Lucifer and me to have. Honey, you put a lot of thought into this, but all of this is new to us, and we just need some time to think things through." Chloe's eyes naturally glided up above her daughter's head to the clock on the wall. "And that is a conversation for a different time."

Trixie knew the look on her mother's face, and her shoulders began to sink low to her sides once more. "You're not going back to work already, are you?" She stared at the black sling holding her mother's right arm hostage. When Chloe was admitted to the hospital, Dan told Trixie that it was a bad car accident, but once she was alone with Lucifer, she heard bits and pieces of the story. He mostly gave in to her incessant questions that would never end. She always admired the fact that Lucifer never held anything back from her, and he spoke to her as if she were any other adult roaming the Earth. Her child-like features didn't force him to talk down to her or exclude her from knowing the ugly truth.

Chloe looked down to her arm, adjusting in her chair uncomfortably. "No. No work just yet. Lucifer has some family in town, and we really should make an appearance."

Lucifer rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, already annoyed by the day ahead of them. "We really don't. I think Amenadiel is handling it nicely."

"It would be rude not to." Chloe tilted her head to the side, knowing Lucifer would do whatever he could to avoid the family waiting for his arrival.

"I doubt they even notice I'm not there. It's only been an eon or two since we've seen each other. What's a little more?"

Chloe took a final bite of her breakfast, and she sipped down the remaining gulps of coffee before getting up. "We're going." She kissed her daughter on the side of her temple. "Thank you for breakfast, monkey."

Lucifer leaned back into his chair, picking up the stack of papers he had placed down earlier. He folded the flyer on top into a small square, sliding it into his suit jacket's interior pocket, and Trixie watched the flyer disappear out of the corner of her eye with a smile.

* * *

She watched his face move away from his light olive complexion into a deep red as the elevator doors opened. Lucifer's bit his teeth hard together, accenting his distinct jawline and his neck strained at the sight of his penthouse suite. They both took a step out of the elevator and stopped to observe the chaos around them. Moving their eyes in a counter-clockwise motion, Chloe and Lucifer took in the sight before them.

Empty pizza boxes were stacked as high as the bar, and one box flapped open with a few pieces left. The bar's glass shelves that stacked the best scotch, whiskey, and bourbon were now empty with just one shelf left of alcohol. Maze and Linda sat side by side on the small step leading up to the bedroom, in deep conversation. Lucifer's bed was stripped of its sheets and pillows, and they were repurposed into an inept fort off into the corner. A woman with strawberry blonde hair sat crossed legged, meditating on top of the bare mattress.

The television blasted out revved engines and cars crashing as a man with platinum blonde hair was absorbed in a Fast & Furious film at the highest volume.

God excluded himself out onto the balcony with the patio doors wide open. He laid out in a lounge chair, enjoying the sun's heat on his face as he politely folded his hands over his stomach.

A trumpeting horn from above made a startled Chloe and Lucifer jerk their heads up. Releasing a long, hot breath, Lucifer flared his nostrils at the abuse to one of his most prized possessions.

A man with tawny skin and chocolate curled hair sat on the spiral staircase enthralled in the book in his lap. Numerous books were missing from their shelves, and they all found a home stacked in a semi-circle around the man's feet.

Amenadiel was scrubbing away at something that dried onto Lucifer's grand piano with a vigorous arm. The eldest son looked weathered and tired as he looked up at the mess around him. Lucifer's home was unrecognizable.

Maze casually walked up to the couple with a pizza square in her hand, and a large bite cradled in her cheek like a chipmunk. "Trixie told me the news- you're moving in together. Congrats and all that crap. That means the penthouse is mine, right?" She took another bite of her slice, waiting for Lucifer to answer.

Chloe's mouth was slightly open in shock from the view before her, but her mouth shot wide open, croaking out a noise from the back of her throat. It had only been a minute since they stepped out of the elevator, and it was an overwhelming experience so far. "I- we don't know. What is happening?" Chloe couldn't take her eyes off of the chaos.

Lucifer released his hand from the small of Chloe's back, and he charged toward his brother, who sprayed a bottle of cleaning product onto the piano. "Amenadiel, what is this?" He was only a few deep breaths away from his eyes, turning a burning red.

"Luci!" Amenadiel looked unpleasantly surprised by his brother's return as he threw his washcloth on top of the piano, subtly hiding the dried, crusted stain from Lucifer's eyes. "I didn't think you'd be here so soon."

"What have they done to my home?" No one had noticed Lucier's entrance, and his raised voice continued to be drowned out from the screeching tires in the drag race on the television.

"Where did you expect me to keep them? Linda and I don't have space, and you've been gone for a week." Amenadiel's eyes were covered in worry as he saw the anger and disgust on his brother's face. "I have it under control." He raised his hands to calm Lucifer's growing vexation.

Lucifer's eyes looked down to the dirty, stained washcloth just beyond his brother's hands. "What's under the cloth, Amenadiel?" His voice was calm and monotone, making his brother feel uneasy.

"Nothing." He moved to the side to stop Lucifer from peeking underneath the cloth. Lucifer leaned his body to the left to fake out his move to the right. Falling for his brother's misleading step, Amenadiel watched Lucifer rip the cloth off the piano.

"What- what is that?" The Devil's lips trembled at the hand-sized freeform shape of a stain.

"I think soy sauce mixed with syrup. I'm not too sure, but I'll get it off." His lips closed tightly as he prepared for his brother's outrage.

Lucifer took in a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes, and as they opened once more, Lucifer's pupils turned a deep red. "No." Spinning on his heels, Lucifer threw his hands up to the empty shelves behind his bar. "What are you philistines, drinking a man's scotch as if it's water?" He quickly strode across his home and up the stairs, causing Linda to glue her body close to the wall to remove herself from his wrath. Bundling up the bedsheets and pillows laid in the corner of the room, Lucifer threw them back onto the bed, disrupting the woman's inner peace. "Egyptian cotton is not something you make a fort with. One thousand thread count does not belong on the floor."

The woman fell back at the unexpected weight of sheets being thrown at her. She protected her hair with a hand in the air, and she Moved the sheets off her head. Her eyes widened with joy at the man before her. "Samael?"

Lucifer was already moving back into the main living room, and his eyes searched for the remote control. He found some of his button-downs crumpled onto the floor, assuming his brother's attempted to play dress up. Rolling his eyes in a large circle, he flared his nostrils once more. "Seriously?" One by one, he picked up each item, placing them gently on the leather chair in the corner, and his search continued. Lucifer knocked over a few empty cans of soda as he reached for the remote, shutting off the movie. "Was that not loud enough for you? I'm surprised you haven't blown my speakers."

Chloe shared a glance with Amenadiel before uncomfortably itching behind her left ear. She watched as the platinum blonde man double looked to his right in shock at the angel standing over him. "Lucifer?" The man's voice was quiet as he followed Lucifer, moving on to the balcony.

Lucifer clapped his hands together three times, creating a booming sound that echoed off his stone walls. "Up and at 'em, Father. You have a bunch of children you're neglecting once again."

God jerked his head awake at the familiar voice, screaming out onto the balcony. He slowly opened his eyes, rolling his head to the side and watched Lucifer approach his son on the stairs.

Taking Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment out of his brother's hands, Lucifer snapped the Russian first edition closed. "Feel free to leave my books out and about. I understand it can be difficult to put something back once you're finished with it. It's not like I have a system." The trumpet from above blared out an uncontrolled high C, causing everyone to cringe, but Lucifer. "And you!" Lucifer pointed an aggressive finger up onto his library balcony with the book in hand. "That was a gift from Miles Davis himself. I swear, Gabriel if you play one more note, I will end you."

The suite fell silent as all eyes were on Lucifer. His chest that heaved up and down, soon found balance and a steady breath as his tantrum dissipated. Making her way slowly down the bedroom steps, the woman with strawberry blonde hair stopped at the leather chair, staring at her brother in awe. The platinum blonde brother and the brother who lingered off the stairs looked to Lucifer with sorrow. It was Gabriel that jumped down from the balcony, by Amenadiel's side, who continued to stare down on his little brother with a look of stern bitterness.

"Just like how you ended Uriel's life?" Gabriel cocked his head to the side as he looked his brother up and down, hungry for answers. It had been a millennium since he last saw Lucifer, and other than an inch of scruff around his jaw, he looked like the same younger brother he remembered.

Maze looped her arm into Chloe's unharmed arm, guiding her away from the elevator, and they joined Linda, who now leaned against the bar. They kept their distance from this tense and suspenseful family reunion.

The angel, who found home behind a stack of books, stood up preparing himself in case a fight were to break out between brothers. He wore a long dark brown leather vest that hung open over his bare chest, accenting his muscular toned body. His warm, cinnamon skin, the loose, short chocolate curls around his strong face, and his thick, distinguished brow made him look like a Spaniard who belonged on the cover of a cheesy romance novel. Maze nudged a sharp elbow into Chloe's side, gesturing her to look in Linda's direction. The therapist was having a great time observing this family of angels in their unnatural habitat, but this one particular angel made Linda's cheeks burn a rosy pink. She released a long breath, trying to soothe the flushed feeling warming her face.

"I thought we talked about this already. Lucifer didn't have a choice." The platinum blonde young man made his way around the couch, and he stood in front of Lucifer, trying to grab Gabriel's attention. He was shorter than his brothers, and his slender body looked as if it were drowning under the linen tunic that met the tops of his knees. The mustard yellow tunic cinched at his hips with the assistance of a gold chain linked belt, and he wore light brown gladiator sandals weaving a leather braid up his shins, fastening closed behind his knees.

"You talked, I selectively listened." Gabriel motioned forward, but Amenadiel slammed down a steady hand on his brother's shoulder, preventing him from moving. "He was our brother. How can you see past that, Zadkiel?"

"Uriel was going to break the ultimate rule by killing a human. That, or put an end to our mother." Zadkiel's caramel skin made his deep, emerald green eyes shine and platinum blonde hair glow.

"Like our mother didn't deserve it after abandoning all of us?" Gabriel looked around to his brothers and sister, pleading his point of view, and Amenadiel tightened his grip on his brother's brawny shoulder.

Amenadiel and Lucifer shared a long look from across the room, remembering the wave of emotions they felt when she walked the Earth. Their family had been in the Silver City for so long, separated by humanity and the reality that waited for them down here. They didn't have the opportunity to find closure with their mother, as Amenadiel and Lucifer did. They didn't have the chance to make their amends and see their mother in full form.

"You don't mean that." The woman with strawberry blonde hair moved across the room, and her angelic white lace dress gave the illusion that she was gliding above the ground. Her hair was in a loose, messy French braid, and strands of the sweet-smelling hair floated down around her porcelain skin. Little, light brown freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks, heightening her beautiful amber eyes. Her voice was soft and airy as she spoke. "What Uriel did was no better than what Michael is doing now. No human should have to suffer at our hands."

"No, they shouldn't." Cassiel emerged from the elevator, swinging a ring of keys around his pointer finger. He looked like he helped himself to a few items from Lucifer's closet, finding a way to casually wear a button-down and slacks, while still revealing parts of his chest. Sliding the keys to Maze across the bar, he stopped to look into the pizza box but just found grease stains on parchment paper. His head slowly turned in Maze's direction as she chewed down on a corner of a new slice. "You couldn't have saved me a piece?" Taking another aggressive bite, Maze smirked as she devoured the last slice in front of him.

Gabriel followed his brother's voice, and he looked over his shoulder, not recognizing a new face at the bar. "Another human?" He rolled his shoulder back, shaking Amenadiel's hand off of him as he turned to approach the bar. "I suppose you two forgot about the rule on sharing our divinity with humanity? Does half of Los Angeles know at this point?" His eyes clung to Chloe as he studied her features.

Chloe stood her ground, not intimidated by his heavy footsteps and towering body. He had smooth chestnut skin and strong jagged features that made him look statuesque. His short but voluminous hair made his jet black strands look like untamed flames above his head. Gabriel wore copper-colored armor across his torso that had intricate carvings of olive branches, and the tight black bottoms that covered his legs made him look ready to go to war at any moment. She saw Lucifer flinch out of the corner of her eye, but she maintained a forbidding eye-lock with Gabriel. The angel that looked of Indian descent began to narrow his eyes on Chloe, sensing a different force within her.

Gabriel's unwelcome stare faded into an intriguing smile as he became more fascinated with the human before him. A hand appeared between Chloe and Gabriel, shooing away the stubborn warrior. "Back up, Gabriel. She's one of us." Cassiel flailed his hand closer to his brother's face, causing him to take a step back.

Amenadiel rested both of his hands on the piano's top, and his voice was hoarse as he spoke. "Listen, I know we all have a lot of history here, and some of our last memories all together were not the best." He motioned his head to the left in Lucifer's direction, subtly implying Lucifer's rebellion. "But if you're here, we've all agreed that there is a new enemy among us. I'm not asking you to make amends and pretend the past never happened. For the time being, I'm asking to put your feelings aside and focus on what's ahead of us. Do we think we can do that?"

The room fell silent, and many looked to the floor, knowing it was Gabriel, who had to take a step down from his pride. Amenadiel looked over to his father, standing alone off the balcony. They shared a small nod of acknowledgment, and God's voice was deep and commanding across the suite. "I need your oaths on this. Zadkiel?"

Zadkiel looked over his shoulder in his father's direction, bowing his head in respect. "Yes, father."

"Raphael?"

Lucifer looked to the brother on his right, waiting for his response. Raphael shook his head slightly to move the chocolate curls out of his face, and his hands rested in the pockets of his long vest. "Yes, father."

"Jophiel?"

Two angelic trumpet sleeves on the long lace dress flew up into the air to replicate wings. The strawberry blonde dropped her hands to her sides, hitching up her dress to allow for a playful courtesy. "Yes, father."

"Cassiel?"

"You know I'm in." He crossed his arms, smiling across the room to Lucifer, but his cocky response was interrupted by God clearing his throat. Releasing his arms back down to his side, Cassiel formally bowed his head. "Yes, father."

"Gabriel?"

Everyone turned around to face the last oath, waiting for his response. Gabriel looked to Cassiel, who cocked a brow, and his eyes continued to scan to his other brothers and sister. Gabriel stared at Lucifer across the room with a long sigh, seeing the contradictory heat and worry blending in his expression. The warrior's eyes softened on his little brother, causing him to bow his head. "Yes, father."

A dark force plummeted down onto the balcony, and Chloe took a step back, not knowing if this was an enemy or friend, but by the look on the angels' faces, she made the strong assumption that this was another sibling on their side. Black, ominous wings curled in front of the little figure, and as they retracted back, Chloe was surprised to find a young girl hiding behind it all.

"Hey, sorry I'm late to the party. Horrible pile up in Hong Kong. Duty called." The girl stopped at the edge of the balcony to assess the room in front of her, and she felt an odd sense of tension linger in the air. "I know I just arrived, but what's with all the doom and gloom?" She made her way deeper into the suite, greeting her brothers and sister. "Hey, Raph, loving that flow today. Is that product in there?"

Raphael began to smile, running his fingers through his curled, brown hair to show off his locks more.

"Josie, you would put Stevie Nicks to shame in that outfit."

"Thanks, Ray Ray." Jophiel twirled in a small circle forcing her white lace gown to flow around her, with few strands shimmering in the light.

The room began to lighten considerably as the tension made its way out of the room, the more the dark angel spoke. God had a small smile on his lips, watching his daughter work the room, Lucifer's shoulders relaxed farther down his back, and Zadkiel playfully rolled his eyes up knowing this is what she was good at. Amenadiel sucked in his lips, trying not to chuckle, missing his youngest sister.

"Gabe, stoic as ever. Keep it up." Ray Ray patted the angel on his stone-like peck, knowing he could not waver at her love.

"Cas, digging the new look. Blue is a great color on you."

Cassiel opened his arms to show off his outfit, courtesy of his brother's closet, and a cocky smile made his blue eyes shine.

Ray Ray continued to move down the line of people in front of her, and she finally landed on Chloe. "Chloe! It's so nice to meet you in person finally. Face to face, I mean. Ella has the nicest things to say about you. She really loves working with you."

Chloe tilted her head to the side as a quizzical smile appeared on her lips, putting the pieces together. "Azrael?"

Azrael looked over her shoulder at Lucifer, who was now making his way across the suite slowly. "You told her about me? It's nice to know my big brother hasn't totally forgotten about me." She turned back to Chloe, lowering her voice. "He hasn't even reached out, asked me to dinner to catch up-"

Maze took a step forward, studying the young girl who had a personality opposite of her looks. "You're the angel of death? I honestly wasn't expecting this."

Azrael rolled her eyes, recognizing the look on Maze's face. "Let me guess; you were expecting me to have…" Azrael lowered her voice to the lowest octave she could, imitating Christian Bale's version of the Dark Knight. "... a voice like Batman?" She threw the black hood over her head that was attached to her zip-up, regulating her voice back to its normal light tone. "Or were you expecting the grim reaper?" Holding her rigid hand out as if it were old and decrepit, Azrael shook her arm in front of Maze as if a zombie were reaching for brains. "Who would want to travel to the afterlife if that were the case, you know?"

Maze looked down at her with a mix of intrigue and confusion. She took a step back as Lucifer found his way back to the bar, leaning against the counter on Chloe's bad side.

"Ray, I think it's time we caught you up on everything Michael has done. Some of it involves Ella."

Azrael shoved her hands in her pockets, making her way back to the couch. "Oh, I already know all of that. You don't think I still check in on her from time to time?"

Both Lucifer and Amenadiel straightened their bodies up, more alert and confused by her awareness. Amenadiel moved from around the piano, placing himself in front of the couch. "You knew?"

Azrael picked up a few empty, sticky soda cans on the coffee table, and she pushed them aside to make room for her feet. "Yeah, and let me tell you how he manipulated her, that really put me on edge."

Placing his hands on his hips, Amenadiel began to raise his voice. "Why didn't you tell us? You could have helped us."

"You and Lucifer have a way of talking with your fists, just saying. I thought I could put an end to it before it got really bad." Azrael felt her brothers and sister move in closer to her.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes on his little sister, remembering the antics and pranks she was able to conjure back in the Silver City. "Ray, what did you do?"

Azrael released a long sigh, rubbing the rubber tips of her boots together. "One night, I snuck into Michaels when he wasn't there, and I may have swapped Ella's phone number out with a fake one." Both Lucifer and Amenadiel rolled their eyes up, relieved that it wasn't something worse than the scenarios in their mind. "What? If I didn't do that, he would have kept messing with her. Ella doesn't deserve that. Trust me, he kept trying to reach out, but he gave up after a week. Shows how much he cared."

Looking down at his floor, Lucifer remembered the anger and hurt Ella had after that night in the restaurant, the blame she placed on him because of the fallout. Little did Ella know, her own guardian angel continued to watch over her, taking matters into her own hands.

"So, you knew where Michael was this whole time?" Amenadiel jutted his chin out in frustration as he watched her shrink down on the couch.

"I knew where he was at the time, following him around. Once I was sure he was out of Ella's life, I stopped keeping tabs on him. Now that I know what his bigger plan is, I would have told you guys about it. I thought Lucifer was on top of it."

Gabriel folded his arms across his chest, looking over to Chloe. "I think he was on top of something else, as usual."

Cassiel quickly stepped forward, extending his arm out to keep Lucifer back as the Devil lunged forward. With a firm hand on Lucifer's arm, Chloe tried to assist in keeping Lucifer calm.

"Enough." God's voice roared over the suite, making everyone stop, feeling his voice vibrate off the floor. This was the most emotion Amenadiel and Lucifer saw out of their father since his arrival to Earth, and both of their ears perked up, ready to listen. "This is not how wars are won. You were all created with a purpose- to serve and protect humanity. What is happening right now, this will only cause suffering. Samael's rebellion is in the past. He is different, Amenadiel is different, Gabriel, you are different now. Whatever past resentment you had, whatever you are still holding onto, it is done." Gabriel stood erect like a soldier awaiting direction, and the rest of the angels looked anywhere that wasn't each other. "There will be no more disrespect to one another or to the friends we have here. Every individual in this room will be a significant asset to winning this war."

There was a long pause in the room as everyone shared short glances, acknowledging that this was the alliance. "My children are turning on one another, wanting to fight one another. None of you understand what that is like- what that feels like. Not all of my children are here today, and that leaves a father to feel disappointed."

"Do we know who's with Michael on this?" Lucifer looked around to his brother's for answers as his sisters looked down dispirited.

Raphael took his place beside Gabriel with a concerned look. "I was the last to leave the Silver City, and from what it sounded like, Michael has recruited Remiel, Camael, Selaphiel, and Ananiel toward his cause. The rest want no part in this fight."

Linda leaned over to Maze to whisper in her. "How many siblings does Lucifer have again?"

"I lost count a long time ago." Maze crouched her body over the bar in a bored manner, waiting for the conversation to pick up.

"They're outnumbered five to eight, and we have Lilith. Can we even call this a war?" Gabriel sighed pretentiously, waving a hand in the air at the mention of Michael's small army.

"We all know of Lilith's influence. Do not think that this is said and done, my son." God looked concerned, knowing Michael's use of Lilith as a weapon in this battle and the number of human lives lost to her.

"I still don't understand why she's alive. Does little Cassiel still have a little crush?" Raphael teased his younger brother, and he knew he struck a nerve when Cassiel tensed his shoulders.

Looking over his shoulder, Cassiel shared a long, hesitant look with Maze. "She's willing to talk, but-" He tried to swallow through his dry throat, but it was a challenge. "- but, only if she can talk to Chloe alone."

"No. No." Lucifer's stern voice was met with a hard head shake.

"I agree. Chloe almost lost her life with Lilith, and we cannot risk that again." God's chasmic words surprised most of the angels in the room, but mostly Lucifer.

"I understand you care greatly for this woman, Lucifer, but if this is all it takes to get the information we want, it's a risk worth taking." Zadkiel fiddled with his fingers nervously, trying to voice an opinion within the set of strong personalities in the room.

"There's really no place for the demon to go. We're all here if something goes wrong." Raphael reasoned his opinion toward his father.

"She's strong enough that she lasted Lilith last time, I don't see the harm." Gabriel's eyes lingered for an extra second on Chloe's black sling, but he was impressed enough by the story he heard from Cassiel.

"I don't know, Lilith can be tricky." Jophiel's voice was soft as she looked back at Cassiel for confirmation.

"Can I speak for myself?" Chloe was dry as she spoke, and the room came to a stop to listen. "I'll talk to her."

"Detective, are you mad? Have you forgotten about your last experience with her? Every single night since then?" Lucifer forgot about the siblings around him as he stood in front of Chloe, his eyes searching her face for an ounce of sanity.

"Yes, I do, and maybe that's exactly why I need to talk to her. I'm going." Her deadpan stare did not move Lucifer as it had done in past arguments.

"Then I'm coming with you." Lucifer puffed out his chest proudly with a forced, tight smile.

"Lucifer, I know you. She'll give me one wrong look, and you'll kill her in an instant."

"Well, she seems very deserving of it currently, don't you think?" A cocky grin grew on Lucifer as he rocked forward onto his toes with hands in his pockets.

"And that is exactly why you're not coming with me." Chloe began to reach her free arm up to unclasp her sling uncomfortably, and Lucifer lunged his hands forward, letting them hover around her injured arm.

"What are you doing?" His eyes scanned her tortured body, watching her grimace in pain.

"I don't want her to see me like this. It would give her too much satisfaction." Chloe slowly rolled her arm out of her sling, and she relaxed her arm to her side with a small moan of pain. She couldn't hide the healing cuts on her face, but this she could change. Gabriel and Raphael shared an impressive look, as they began to admire the short human with enough gumption to stand up to the Devil and the mother of demons. Chloe laid her good hand on Lucifer's chest, trying to ease the worry in him. "I'll be fine." She looked over her shoulder to Maze, and the demon returned a faint smile. "I'll have Maze with me."

Hell forged daggers ran against one another, sharpening the blade ends together, and Maze's smile grew wider. "With pleasure."

Chloe could feel the rapid heartbeats pounding in Lucifer's chest against her hand, and he placed his hand over her fingers to let her touch linger for one moment longer. As she walked away, she could feel her nerves take over, and she tried to hide the shaky finger reaching for the elevator button.

"Chloe-"

She rolled her eyes at the sound of her name, waiting for someone else to protest her doomed visit. "What now?" Turning around, she was surprised to find God standing behind her, towering his large body over her.

"I know you doubt your ability since that night. I know you are scared through your recovery. I know you are in pain, but you should no longer have to suffer." His hand cupped her cheek before she could speak.

Chloe closed her eyes at the intense power surging through her veins and muscles. Like emerging from water when one believes they're on the brink of drowning, Chloe released a gasp as the surge came to an end. Her shoulders naturally relaxed, and she waited for the twinge of pain to sting in her shoulder, but there was nothing. She opened her eyes, rolling her right shoulder back and front. Her fingers quickly leaped to her face, feeling for the scars on her cheek and forehead, but there was just smooth skin. Chloe released a short laugh in disbelief. "Thank you."

* * *

Her fists came to a tight close, and her nails pressed hard into her palm, leaving semi-circular dents in her skin. Chloe focused on the metal door before them, trying to build a sharp mind. She whispered in low murmurs to herself, "It's just another interrogation."

Maze hesitated with the lock, hearing the whispers behind her. Before pressing the latch open, she turned around quickly, breaking Chloe's concentration. "We don't have to do this, you know."

"Open the door, Maze." Chloe rolled her shoulders back to prepare herself, and she waited for the metal handle to creak open.

They walked into the Lux storage room, passing a row of vodka and tequila labeled shelves, and a pile of crate boxes. A pyramid of kegs pressed up against the back wall and empty cardboard boxes stacked around the corner that led toward an emergency exit door. Chloe continued to follow Maze down a long corridor that led to a small opening for extra storage. Lilith was bound to a chair, wrapped in a cocoon of tape and chains, as her head hung heavy with her chin resting on her chest.

Maze immediately picked up a medieval war hammer that stood on its side in the dark corner, swinging it hard against the metal chair that supported the mother of all demons. Lilith lazily lifted her head with a gargled moan as she came to from her slumber. "Wakey, Wakey. You have a visitor." Maze held her hammer in both hands, watching her mother cautiously.

Lilith's eyes lit up in maniacal glee at the sight of Chloe, and she tried to speak, but the obstruction in her mouth only created incoherent muffled noises. Maze had gone into her stash of toys, forcing her mother's jaw open with a leather ball gag. The red silicone ball had a small glimmer of light from the fixture above, and saliva could be seen rolling down the sides.

She thought seeing her kidnapper in this state would set her mind at peace, but knowing she was still able to breathe and walk this Earth made her muscles tense. Chloe leered at Lilith as she folded her arms, leaning back against the stack of chairs in the corner. "What do you want?"

Lilith rolled her eyes down to the gag in her mouth, dropping her head to the side as she waited for Maze to undo the harness near her ear. As the ball fell from her mouth, Lilith rounded her jaw out and licked her lips, getting used to the sudden freedom her mouth felt. "Hey, Chloe. It's good to see you. How's the shoulder?"

"Lilith, what do you want?" Chloe gripped her fingertips into her biceps, trying to steady herself and the racing heart she felt. She feared the room could see the strong beats out of her chest.

"You know, I had all of this time to think and think, and I did some more thinking. I just have so many questions for you. Like what is your arrangement exactly? Do you give Lucifer a few days off to blow off some steam to every big tits Tina or well-endowed William." She chuckled to herself. "Or do you just not want to know about that and pretend it's not happening? This is Lucifer Morningstar we're talking about. This man's been around since the beginning of time, and now he's expected to just be with one woman- I mean yuck. Even most humans can't manage that in their short lifetime. Oh, or like who's better in the sack, Cain, or the Devil himself. Didn't think I knew about that one, did you?" Lilith squirmed in her chair, causing the chains to rustle. "The first murderer and the Devil- you must have a thirst for some darkness in your life. Have you ever wanted to try a demon?" She bit her bottom lip as her tantalizing eyes traveled up and down Chloe's body.

Her face suddenly lit up at a new thought coming to mind. "Death! This one has really stumped me. I'm assuming you two have already had the death conversation. Humans can only live to, what is it, 80 years now?" Lilith's laugh was hard in disbelief. "That's still a newborn demon from where I'm from. But you Chloe, you have probably a couple more decades, or more likely three days." Her eyes darkened with an all-knowing grin, and Chloe watched Maze look up to her out of the corner of her eye. "And your life is over like that. The ending to your little love story." A pout dramatically formed on Lilith's lips. "Lucifer can travel anywhere, but to the one place, you're headed. You seem like the do-as-daddy-says and 'don't copy my homework' type, and I know God loves those humans. Separated for an eternity. But you know, long-distance works out for some couples. Unless…" Lilith bobbed her head to the right appearing as if a light bulb lit above her head. "... you chose to be with him, rule Hell with him. But that would mean choosing a man over your family and friends. And even if they do happen to end up down there, you'd be the one torturing them. If that's not a Sophie's Choice, I don't know what is."

Chloe did not flinch away from her stern and disapproving stare through Lilith's brain dump, and she continued to blink slowly, seeming unfazed by her words. "Does she ever stop talking?" Her voice was stale as she directed it toward Maze.

"Only when you don't want her to. She's just trying to get in your head, Chloe." Maze rolled her eyes up as she spun the war hammer's shaft in her hands.

"Oh, and Trixie. My heart does go out to that girl. She's going to lose her mother at such a young age."

Maze lunged forward, taking a handful of her mother's hair in her hands, yanking her head back. "How do you-"

"How do I what?" Lilith's high-pitched laugh annoyed the two women around her as she found her daughter's intimidation act amusing. "How do I know about the human's kid? A kid you happen to be fond of? You don't think Michael and I haven't been watching you, studying your weaknesses?"

Maze let go of Lilith's hair, looking back to Chloe, who moved a step forward at the sound of her daughter's name.

"Amenadiel and Lucifer have stayed here for too long. They've become human with their weaknesses. You all have them, and that's exactly why you're going to lose this war."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that. Last time I checked, you're outnumbered." Chloe raised her chin defiantly, forcing the surge of energy waving through her body to simmer down.

"You think a couple of angels is going to tip the scale? What if I told you that we have thousands on top of thousands of demons ready to destroy whatever is in their way?" Lilith began to laugh once more, watching the worry cross from Chloe to Maze. "The angels fighting one another is just act one, darling. There will not be enough of them to stop the destruction around them. Humanity, as you know, it will meet its Day of Reckoning. God will fall to his knees and watch the one thing he truly loves fall apart before him."

Chloe remembered the demons from the night in the factory, and she multiplied them by the millions. Her mind wandered through the terror, destruction, and Death that would come from the creatures, and her eyes began to sting.

"I may be stuck here, locked up, being- I don't know what to call it- I wouldn't even call it torture. Really, Mazikeen, I thought I taught you better than this. Just because I'm here doesn't mean the army isn't growing. My children are finishing for me. Nothing can stop us. The end is inevitable."

"No. We'll find a way; there's always a way." Maze shook her head, not allowing her mother's words to ring true in her ear.

"Mazikeen, we both know what true demons can do. You may have defeated thirteen of your brothers and sisters on your own, but do you really think you have the stamina for an army."

Maze walked behind her mother to hide her face as she looked to Chloe. Michael and Lilith may have been watching and noting their weaknesses, but they still didn't know their secret strength. Chloe nervously swallowed behind her hard exterior, remembering the look on Maze's face. It was similar to the look on the morning she first exposed her light to the team. Her friend was drawn to the light in awe.

"When is this happening?" Chloe looked down the Lilith with more urgency.

"Mmmmm…" Lilith twirled her head around, toying with the idea of telling the truth or not. "Maybe in a couple of days, maybe in a couple of weeks, I can't really say. We were banking on Lucifer starting this thing off right, but plan C it is."

There was a long silence in the storage room as Chloe and Maze thought over her words carefully. Chloe sucked in her lips, thinking of all the possible outcomes, and her heart sank deeper into her chest.

The smile that stayed on Lilith's lips for the entirety of their conversation told the interrogators enough. She was done sharing the secrets from Michael's side and was relishing in their fear. "I'd enjoy the time you have left. Eat that one thing that's forbidden on your diet. Have a goodbye drink with your friends. Kiss your daughter one last time."

Maze clutched the hammer in her hands harder, feeling her muscles tremble, and she began to listen to the voices in her head telling her to do it.

"I have one more question." Lilith, for the first time this visit, was serious. Her eyes were large blue orbs of vulnerability, and Chloe furrowed her brow at the unfamiliar sight. "Are you afraid to die?"

Chloe watched Maze lift her hammer higher and tighter in her hands, ready to strike. "I don't want to die." She swallowed hard, holding her arms tighter against her chest, watching the metal spike turn toward Lilith's head. "Are you?"

Lilith's eyes began to gleam in the light as they filled with slight tears. "I feel like I should be, but I'm not. I know there's nothing after this for me, but- but if there is?" There was an innocent grin on Lilith's face, and Maze began to tense at the hope in her mother's voice. "All demons fade into black. What if that's a myth, and there's a place for us to find peace finally? What if-"

Chloe jumped back with a sharp gasp as she watched the blood splatter out the side of Lilith's head, and she placed a hand over her mouth as Maze revved up her arm for another blow.

Maze did not wait for a countdown or a meaningful goodbye. She saw an opportunity and took it. "You don't deserve peace." Her eyes were crazed with hurt and pain as the swings came down, and the blood-splattered over the stone basement wall. Blow after blow, Maze thought of her mother, incapable of love. She thought of the loneliness that she had to endure her whole life. She thought of resentment that lingered in her dark heart for too long. She thought of that night in the factory, thinking her life was the one to be fated into darkness. She thought of her mother watching Trixie, manipulating the child's life to gain a laugh. She thought of the thousands of innocent humans who had to come face to face with Lilith and the thousands who were fated to die because of her.

The body, entangled in chains and tape, was unrecognizable, and Chloe held a hand tight to her chest, watching each blow come down. The fears that she felt when the sun met the Earth's edge came to an end, knowing the woman behind it all was gone. Dead. No more.

Diverting her eyes away from the body, Chloe sidestepped her way around the storage space, reaching her hand out. With one final swing, Maze retched the hammer back, and Chloe caught the staff in her hands to prevent any more bloodshed. "It's okay. Maze, she's gone. It's okay."

* * *

The car ride home was silent and unnerving. Lucifer looked over at Chloe in the passenger seat every other mile, and he continued to wonder what was going through her mind. Her face was hard to read, and her eyes glossed over as she stared out the window.

It had been a long rest of the day when Chloe and Maze returned up the elevator. Questions swarmed around them like wild bees, and Chloe tried her best to summarize the critical, relevant notes on Michael's war. Maze drank herself a bottle deep, covered in her mother's blood, and Linda, along with Cassiel, tried their best to clean her up while avoiding her protesting arm. God took charge of learning the possible attack zones and instructing everyone's positioning in this fight. Lucifer and Amenadiel grew tired of their old-world siblings destroying the suite and the constant questions about why humans are the way they are. Both were more than happy to say their goodbyes, and they were relieved of watching the elevator doors close in front of them.

Lucifer decided to take the scenic route home to find some balance from today's woes. He drove down Pacific Avenue, and Chloe admired the different lights on the buildings along Venice Beach at night. Instead of his usual turn, Lucifer continued down the avenue until it narrowed into a one-way road.

She perked her head up, unfamiliar with the area they were entering as the drives began to run private. "Where are we going?"

"Just have to make a quick stop. It won't take long." The car began to slow its speed as it traveled farther down.

Chloe looked over Lucifer's shoulder to see the grand canal to their left, and she could make out the beach to her right through the breaks in condominiums and private bungalows. The car came to a stop behind one of the last buildings before the Marina Del Rey inlet. Dark brick and wood accents stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the modern, sleek homes surrounding the area. Her eyes scored up the four-story building as she stepped out of the car, and her attention was soon brought to Lucifer, who was nosing around the planters.

"Lucifer, what are you doing?" Her scolding whisper echoed out into the empty back streets, and her head twisted around to see if anyone was watching them.

"There you are, you little bugger." He shook a rock plucked from one of the large planters, and something metal banged around inside. Sliding a plastic shield off the bottom of the fake rock, Lucifer showed off a gold key to Chloe. "Come on." He gestured his head back to the door, but she stood her ground, not knowing what was happening.

"Lucifer, what are we doing here?"

He took a few steps away from the building to hook his hand around her arm. "You'll see when you get inside. Now, come on, Detective." Lucifer quickly jotted in a series of five numbers on the keypad to the right of the door, and they entered a small foyer. He joined the key into a single slot below an elevator button, and Chloe looked around at the single door behind them. The doors opened, and Lucifer presented his arm out to have Chloe step in first.

Lucifer wore a spirited smile as they felt the ground move below their feet, and then there was a sudden stillness forcing the doors to open once more. They stepped out into a dark, empty room, and Lucifer began to feel around the wall for any light fixtures. Warm yellow lights lit up the space one section at a time, unveiling the home's depth.

Chloe felt out of time and place from where she stood. The home looked like someone took an urban New York City loft, transporting it right dab in the middle of sunshine and beaches. Dark brown and red brick-lined one accent wall until the wall transformed into black loft windows that touched from the floor to the two-floor high ceilings. Large planked hardwoods coated in a walnut finish elongated the space, making the open-concept penthouse feel warm and inviting. Industrial metal stairs with wooden steps clung to the back wall, leading up a second floor. To keep the two-story high ceilings in view, the second floor led to an exposed hallway that overlooked the space below, and three doors led to bedrooms and bathrooms.

Lucifer placed a hand on Chloe's back, guiding her away from the elevator, and her legs felt stiffer than usual. He waved his arm out into the empty corner that faced the elevator entrance. "I was thinking of a bar here. A smaller-scale version of what I currently have, but we need a bar. And over here…" He moved Chloe in the direction he was pointing. "... a dining table, even though we both know the little one will barely use it. Spreading all of her crumbs on the couch, watching one of her brainless high school dramas where everyone's trying to get away with murder at the ripe old age of sixteen." Lucifer took a deep breath, feeling himself get worked up over the shows Trixie pulled him into for the past week. "I'm getting off-topic." He looked down at Chloe, growing insecure over her blank stare.

Lucifer brought her attention to the brick wall on their left. "I was thinking of some custom shelves here for my books. Oh, and the kitchen." He pulled hard on her hand, guiding her into the center of the home. The kitchen felt private in its own space as the second-floor hall balcony covered the appliances and massive marble square island. He waited for some reaction from her on the outlandish size of the island or the somewhat outdated appliances, but her eyes just wandered around the space, taking it in. Lucifer began to grow nervous by her silence, and he tried to be more excited about the area.

Taking Chloe's hand once more, he pulled her through to the end of the penthouse that towered black loft windows that overlooked the dark. A double-sided brick fireplace was center focused, allowing for a fire to roar inside or out on the balcony. "Couch here. The coffee table there for games. Piano over there, obviously." Lucifer waved his free hand into the different open spaces, and looking back, Chloe followed his hand with a dazed expression. Lifting an energetic finger, Lucifer quickly unlatched one of the balcony doors. "And for the grand finale." He briskly opened the french doors, and Chloe walked out into the warm LA night.

Placing a gentle hand on the glass balcony ledge, Chloe looked out into nothingness, and she looked to Lucifer for an explanation. She watched his face fade out into a disappointed look as his shoulders sank.

"This would have been more dramatic if the sun was out." He licked his lips, trying to gain high spirits again. "Imagine a private beach before us and the ocean continuing until it meets the horizon." They both stood in silence, listening to the distant waves lapping against the shoreline.

Chloe turned around to face the penthouse before her. It was empty, waiting to be filled with color and memories. She could see Trixie's framed artwork on display on one of the walls, the turquoise lamp Lucifer hated on a hutch in the corner, Lucifer playing the piano while Trixie did her homework on the table. It was all before her, but something in her mind stopped the fantasy. Lilith's words stopped her.

"I think you should keep your penthouse."

Lucifer took a step back away from her, dropping his head to the floor. The sound of waves moving in the distance set in through a long pause. "You don't want to do this."

Chloe clenched her fists, trying to think of how to put her feelings into words. "I'm not- no, I'm not saying that. Lucifer, this place is-" Her face softened on the home before her. "-it's perfect."

The sudden fear of rejection and the worry that made Lucifer's muscles quake disappeared at the look on her face. "But…"

"But, you see a game night in the living room, I see an angel plummeting down and destroying the table. You see your bar in the back; I see shattered glass from some fight. There's only a couple of bedrooms upstairs, and right now, I'm thinking which one we would use for keeping the next demon of destruction held hostage. Don't even get me started on all of the blood I have to think about cleaning up here."

Lucifer shrugged nonchalantly, looking back into the penthouse. "We can get maid-service."

Rolling her eyes up, Chloe shook her head. "That's not the point. The point is, this should be our home to get away from all of that. I'm not ready to expose Trixie to that world. I don't know if I ever will be. But, I also know we can't just shut that part of us off."

"And you want to keep the Lux penthouse for that world. I think we can manage that." He retracted his step away from her, closing in on her space. Turning his body to stare at the empty penthouse lit before them, he looked down at Chloe with wholehearted eyes. He could still see the troubling thoughts pulling her away from this idea of their future. "I want you to look at this place as a promise. Since I've been back, we've just been waiting for Michael's big fall out, and things have been turbulent, to say the least. I know what Lilith told you is not sitting right with you, but I want you to look at this place and know that I don't have a doubt in my mind that we're going to get through this. Nothing is going to happen to you, to me, to any of us. This is waiting for us on the other side."

She couldn't help but smile at his words, and Chloe tilted her head to the side, seeing the place before them as home. "So, with everything going on, you still think we have a chance at some happy ending?"

His lips turned up into a confident, gleaming smile. "Something like that." They stood shoulder to shoulder as their eyes scanned the empty home before them. Lucifer leaned his back against the balcony railing and placed his hands in his pockets. "Are we doing this?"

Lilith's words still stung and lingered in the back of Chloe's mind. She thought about her life, possibly ending in three days, and thought of being separate from her daughter for a couple of decades and Lucifer for an eternity. The truth was, they hadn't talked about death and what that would mean for them. They did what they could to avoid the topic when the conversation moved toward it, both knowing it was not going to be a light discussion. Chloe released a deep sigh, trying to shake the negative thoughts running through her. Whether it was a couple of days, years, or decades, Chloe didn't want to waste a minute of her life by pressing pause. "Yeah, I think we are."


	15. The Angels Are Coming

His inexpressive stare focused on the dance floor and the sea of heads that bobbed unevenly to the music pounding through the speakers. Strobe lights skimmed across the Lux nightclub, and the music made the drinks on the bar shake unsteady ripples, slamming drops against the glass. Amenadiel took a tentative sip from his whiskey, scanning the audience and landing to his siblings' carelessness. They stood out like sore thumbs in the middle of the dance floor.

Raphael had a woman with blonde curls in a tight black dress grinding her hips into him as another dirty-blonde woman ran her hands up and down his body from behind. His head flew back with a bright smile as he felt the women, and the rhythm move against his body.

Zadkiel wasn't far behind his brother with platinum blonde hair glowing in the mixed light from above. Growing closer to the man with short dreadlocks in front of him, the angel placed his hands on the man's hips, pulling him in to press their bodies together. They swayed to the same beat, and their lips grew closer.

White lace swirled around in an ethereal hurricane in the epicenter of the dance floor. Moving to her own beat, Jophiel closed her eyes, moving her body about as if she were creating her version of a rain dance. Sweat glistened off her cheeks, and the roots of her strawberry blonde hair began to dampen from the welcomed condensed crowd around her.

Sitting in the back corner of the reserved semi-circular booth, Gabriel crossed his arms across his chest as he watched the humans dance wildly around him. He didn't know if it was the scattered empty martini glasses on the table or the catchy bass humming through the booth, but Gabriel began to bob his head and tap his foot against the floor to the music.

The other side of the booth was preoccupied with Cassiel. A woman with jet black hair worked hard to grab the angel's attention back to her as she glided her free hand up to his thigh. He took a quick sip of the vodka and lime in his glass, and he focused on the woman in a leather corset behind the bar. The words whispered into his ear sounded like muffled background noise while his eyes tracked the demon pouring another drink for the dark hooded figure sitting at the corner of the bar.

Azrael kept her hoodie high above her head, trying to shrink out of sight from the humans around her. There was one human, in particular, she was trying to hide from, but there was no way of knowing if they were going to show tonight. She'd peek around the brim of her hood to glance at the main stairwell to see if Ella would walk down in her peppy step, but so far, she was in the clear. The dark angel happily accepted another bright aqua-colored drink with a curled straw and purple umbrella from Maze.

Feeling the eyes of a particular dirty-blonde angel on her, Maze diverted her eyes to the friend beside her, who had a baby swaddled against her chest in an Aztec patterned wrap. "You know, humans typically think a baby in a club is weird."

Linda bobbed enthusiastically to the music as she popped a cap off of a fresh beer bottle below the bar. "I don't care. I'm tired of missing out on these nights." She slid the bottle across the bar to a man, trying to read his lips for the tab name.

Stopping at the top of the staircase, Lucifer began to smile at the sight before him. It wasn't the fact that his nightclub was roaring with business, but the view of his brothers and sisters enjoying themselves- enjoying their desires- made Lucifer's tight lip smile grow longer. Chloe's hands wrapped tightly around his arm as she looked down onto the dance floor, scanning for any familiar faces. She leaned her head back in surprise, seeing the angels dance to the electronic music pounding against the walls. Slowly making their way down the stairs, Lucifer and Chloe continued to watch out over the club in disbelief before breaking apart at different ends of the bar.

Amenadiel moved his deadpan stare over to Lucifer, who made a gesture to Maze with his pointer finger. "You have to tell me this is your doing." Presenting his hand out over the nightclub, the eldest angel watched as Jophiel changed her routine to jumping along with the single ladies around her, her feet landing to the floor to every beat.

Looking over his shoulder, Lucifer smiled brighter. "I wish I could take ownership, but even us angels have some hidden desire for fun."

Amenadiel aggressively pressed his pointer finger deeper into the counter, grabbing his brother's attention. "We should be training. We should be on high alert, not-" He looked back over to his brother with bright blonde hair. "-not whatever Zadkiel is doing." Amenadiel nervously wiped a hand back over his bald head, growing concern over his family's state.

Propping his elbows back onto the bar, Lucifer turned around to watch his youngest brother suck on the bottom lip of the man he swayed with. "He's just playing a little tonsil hockey, and by the looks of it, he's winning." The Devil's lips smirked up, impressed by Zadkiel's appetite.

"Lucifer."

Rolling his eyes up, Lucifer turned around to face his brother, leaning his body across the counter. "Amenadiel, we've been training all week. They need to let loose a bit. We all do, and that includes you- as hard as that might be."

"So, tell me. If this wasn't your plan, then where were you? Why did you miss training tonight?" Amenadiel cocked his head to the side, waiting for answers, and he began to narrow his eyes as he noticed Lucifer avoid his brother's gaze.

"We were finishing up some paperwork on the new place. This is growing to be a little more time consuming when the Detective is looking over my shoulder, making sure I dot all of the I's, cross all of the T's. It was much easier winning a house in a game of poker or trading it for a favor." Lucifer stared off into the mirror behind the bar, thinking of how quick this process could be if he were just able to make a few calls.

"This late?" Amenadiel was proud and happy for his brother to make such significant strides in his relationship with Chloe, but the dooming dark cloud of war hung above his head, and it kept his mind focused on one thing- Michael.

Lucifer cleared his throat as he impatiently knocked his knuckles down on the counter, waiting for Maze to complete his drink order. "We may have taken an hour- or three- to christen the place."

Amenadiel finished his drink, choking on the last drop of whiskey. "Is that all you guys can think about in a time like this? Sex?" He threw an arm out to showcase their dysfunctional family, and his eyes caught Raphael taking turns, placing his lips on the two women surrounding him.

"In my defense, I wasn't the one to initiate it. Would I have insinuated it? Most definitely, but the Detective beat me to the chase." Lucifer leaned in to look down the bar, and his eyes landed on Chloe. She didn't notice his stare as she spoke with Linda from the opposite end. "I don't know what's gotten into her lately, but the Detective can't keep her hands off of me. I can't blame her, though." Lucifer looked at himself in the mirror behind the bar, straightening his suit jacket. "I thought five-year-anticipation-sex was one thing, but apocalyptic-sex- there are no words. We should have apocalypses more often now that I know what comes with it. Eleven out of ten. I highly recommend it, brother."

Lucifer's devious grin disappeared as he watched Amenadiel's face grow more grave. "Oh, lighten up, Amenadiel. It's just one night. I bet our siblings will go back to their dutiful selves once the morning hits, but for now, just let it be." His upbeat smile returned as a tray filled with tequila shots, and a bowl of sliced limes appeared before him. "Thank you, Mazikeen." Carefully grasping the tray on both ends, Lucifer turned toward his brother one last time. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I plan on joining the fun."

Amenadiel watched as his brother disappeared into the crowd, and he felt a presence approach from behind.

"He is right, you know." God stood beside his eldest son with a complacent look on his face, appearing out of nowhere. "When was the last time you saw your siblings this happy together? No bickering. No resentment. Let them have this moment."

The eldest brother softened his eyes on his siblings dancing below, and he found Lucifer's head emerge through the crowd. Placing the tray down on the table, Lucifer handed out shot after shot to his siblings, and they all wrenched their heads back together, swallowing the gold liquid. Looking to his right, Amenadiel saw the light somber look in his father's face. "We're not all going to make it, are we?"

God paused, staring over the sea of heads glowing from a single stream of purple light that scanned over the dance floor. "There are always casualties in war. I wish I could give you a proper answer, but I cannot. What I do know is that you will all find your way home one way or another."

Amenadiel felt the muscles in his neck tense as he thought of his siblings falling at the hands of one another. Some were fated to enter a hell loop down below, and others were fated to return to rest in the Silver City, knowing they could never leave again. He looked back over his shoulder to Linda, holding Charlie against her chest as she swayed from side to side, and he thought of his own life being sacrificed.

"Amenadiel, you have carried such a heavyweight on your shoulders. It is time to let that go. I think you should be with your siblings. I think you should have this night."

As encouraging as his father's words were, Amenadiel couldn't ignore the tense muscles in his body. His back felt tight, his head was housing a dull headache, and his stomach was aching from the constant nerves active in his body. With a small push on the back of his shoulder, Amenadiel gave in to his father's request, and for the first time that night, Amenadiel left his bar stool. He walked to the edge of the steps that led down to the dance floor, but something stopped him. As he looked back up to the crowd, he saw his siblings laughing and enjoying each other's company. Amenadiel couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't belong, that there was a massive disconnect in their current state of mind. As he wanted to let go of the constant worry, he knew it couldn't be suppressed with a few drinks and good music.

Amenadiel found his feet taking control of his body, and he traveled to the highest tiered balcony. From where he stood, he could not be bothered. Guests couldn't access the stairwell that led to the balcony that housed the light fixtures, and he had comfort knowing he was hidden away in the shadows. From his bird's eye view, he watched his family take on the night.

The end of Jophiel's white lace dress was growing brown from the partiers accidentally stepping down onto the material, but the angel did not care as she continued to move around in circles. Jophiel grabbed Gabriel onto the floor to dance with her, but his moves were anything but on beat. He was a fish out of the water, not knowing how to move his body to the bass, but he stayed by his sister's side.

As the night persisted, Raphael took his pick of the two women fighting for his affection, and a single woman in a black dress clung to his chest in the booth. His hands wrapped around the base of her neck as his lips wildly took hers in, and his chocolate curls slowly detangled in her fingers.

Zadkiel found his way behind the DJ booth with a pair of headphones hanging around his neck, and his eyes followed the quick movements of the DJ's hands over turntables and the tapping on the laptop keys. He pointed a finger across the club to his brother Cassiel, who noticed him from where he sat.

Cassiel found his way to the bar, ignoring the women who had stopped him earlier in the night, and he found a comfortable place sitting in the corner with a shot in his hand. His glass clinked against Maze's, and they threw their heads back, slamming the glass down onto the counter after. The demon's corset pushed up her best assets as she leaned over the counter in deep conversation with the angel.

God found comfort with his youngest daughter at the opposite end of the bar. Azrael tried to stop her laughs as her lips went in for another sip of a new blue drink, and her father sat patiently with hands folded, observing the establishment around him.

Amenadiel's eyes landed on Lucifer and Linda, who resided in a separate booth away from the family. His brother had one leg over the other and a drink in one hand as he leaned comfortably back with an arm propped on the back edge of the booth. Linda held their son, who slept through the music, in her arms as she smiled brightly to whatever Lucifer had just told her. Amenadiel sucked in his lips, taking in the sight of everyone together, knowing it could be the last time. He subtly looked to his left, acknowledging a slender figure approaching him from the side, and he politely smiled while releasing a cleansing breath.

"Hey." Chloe leaned against the railing beside the angel, handing him a freshly filled whiskey. The brims of their glasses touched at the small acknowledgment of each other's company, and they slowly sipped their drinks, staring over the crowd in silence.

"I thought you'd be down there with the rest of them." Amenadiel held his glass in both hands, leaning more of his weight over the railing.

"I could say the same about you." Chloe stood more alert with one hand on the railing and the other swirling her drink in small, patient circles. They both felt the looming darkness that Michael created for the world, and they both secretly wished they could be one of the carefree individuals below. "Dan's taking Trixie away for a while, and I only have a couple of more hours until I have to say goodbye to her. So, right now, that's where my head is at."

Amenadiel slowly nodded, sensing the fear and anxiety stirring in his company as he looked down onto his sleeping son. "As much as it hurts, you're doing the right thing, Chloe."

Her smile was tight and appreciative, but her eyes remained distant. "If what Lilith said was true, it can happen any day now, and the longer she's here, the more I-" Chloe couldn't finish her sentence as she felt herself choke on the thought of her daughter being harmed from the tragic unknown.

"I know." Amenadiel focused on his son's sleeping eyes, and he felt a confusing mix of fear and relief at the thought of the war approaching. He was tired from his constant fear of leaving his son alone and the worry of never seeing him again, and it could soon all be over.

Chloe's hand gripped the railing a little harder as her eyes landed on Lucifer. She bit down on her tongue as she felt her eyes grow hot, and she quickly looked up to Amenadiel to gauge his mood. "Amenadiel, I have a favor to ask you."

Her words brought the angel out of his focused stare, and his lips parted into a wide smile. As he turned to look at her, his deep chuckle did not move Chloe out of her somber state. "I think you're going to the wrong brother on that one." His eyes searched hers, and his smile soon faded into concern as she looked back to Lucifer. "What is it?"

"We don't know what will happen or if we'll even win, but I need to have peace of mind." She paused, swallowing hard, not wanting to say the words. "If something happens to me, I need to know that you'll be there for him. You'll watch over him and protect him. I need you to promise me."

He could see the water forming a shield over her eyes and a few heavy drops sitting on the edge of her eyelid. "Chloe, you've made so much progress in your training. We've all seen the light, we've seen you grow. I-" Amenadiel was becoming lost for words seeing the look on her face. For the past week, he had seen Lucifer and Chloe happy together, in high hopes of ending this war, but it was becoming more evident that Chloe was just pretending. Lucifer had grown to be too optimistic for his own good, and all he wanted was for his future to start, but Chloe was more realistic in preparing for the worst. In preparing, she continued to spend every second she could with him, holding onto every moment. "I don't want Lilith to get in your head. We can all come out on the other side of this." He pushed his head forward more, trying to read her face, but it was stone. Amenadiel followed her gaze down to his brother, and he felt his heartache knowing Lucifer could not see this side of Chloe behind his rose-colored eyes. "I promise. I'll always look after him."

Chloe nervously took a sip from her drink, preventing herself from looking at her company in the face. She could feel his distressed eyes beating down on her, and Chloe forced herself to stare forward, accepting his promise, or else the tears would begin. Ignoring the sharp burning sensation of whiskey traveling down her throat, she forced a smile on her lips, suppressing any fear that may have come through, and she relaxed her shoulders farther down her back. "Thank you."

Amenadiel looked down at his feet, watching the tips of his leather chukka boot glow from the mix of purple and pink lighting from below. The impending war seemed to be a lost thought to the family below, but as Chloe stood by his side in silence, sharing the grim company made the battle feel real for the first time.

* * *

Trixie yanked on her overstuffed rucksack, dragging it out of her room, and the plastic buckles scratched across the hardwoods until it finally landed at the front door. Out of breath, she plopped her body on top of the hard, red cooler filled with bags of ice, cold drinks, and meat for cooking over the fire. "Okay, I think that's everything."

"Bug spray?" Chloe nervously held her arms tight against her body as she looked to Dan.

"Five bottles worth." Her ex-husband casually placed his hands into his puffer vest pockets, waiting for the next round of questions.

"Sunscreen?"

"I have both spray and lotion bottles packed away." Dan looked down at Trixie, who watched her mother with a puzzled look.

Chloe lit up at a new thought. "Oh, I know it's not supposed to rain, but you never know. Did you pack-"

Trixie patted her rucksack with a firm hand. "Rain jacket is inside."

An uncomfortable, eerie silence filled the living room as Chloe continued to run a list in her head of all the items they could forget, causing them to turn around or return early from their trip.

Maze leaned her back against the wall behind Trixie, with one foot over the other. Her hard exterior was showing this morning, but the demon's eyes softened on the young girl sitting in front of her. The thumbs that hung around her dark jean belt hooks pulled down harder as she restrained herself from wanting to play with Trixie's hair. All she wanted was to hug her, hold her one last time. On the drive back from Lux, they told themselves that it wasn't goodbye. Trixie didn't need to see the look of concern or despair on their faces as she left for just another ordinary vacation with her dad.

Lucifer's footsteps were light as he walked in from the kitchen with a mug of coffee for Chloe. He wore his typical face of content looking over to Dan, who looked anything but okay.

Since Dan had his eyes forced open to the celestial world and company around him, he had been experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. When Chloe sat him down to alert him of what was coming, they both knew Trixie had to be far away from the city, and he was the one to protect her at all costs during this time. Dan shared a long, sobering look with Lucifer, causing him to clear his throat. "Hey, sweetie, how about you take the rest of the stuff out to my car and do a final inventory check before we hit the road?"

Trixie's hiking boots clunked against the hardwoods as she stood up, maneuvering her rucksack on around her shoulders. Her thin, narrow arms could barely reach both ends of the cooler's handles, and she looked up to Maze with a bright, cunning smile. Playfully rolling her eyes up and around, Maze bent over, picking up the red cooler, and she followed Trixie out the front door.

Chloe held her coffee in both hands, waiting for someone to break the tense silence. She looked up as Lucifer left her side to lean against the windowsill with hands in his pockets. He discreetly looked back over his shoulder and out the window to gauge Trixie's distance from a conversation that could be easily overheard through the open front door.

"You can still come with us, Chloe." Dan's voice was quiet and yet urgent as he wanted to plead with her one more time.

The lightly roasted coffee finally met her lips, and she immediately felt her senses waken from their late night out. Chloe dropped her head to stare at her murky reflection in the mug, preparing for a conversation that she had already experienced twice before. "Dan, we talked about this."

"That was before; this is now. You can still come with us and get out of here. I know you want to help, but Chloe, this isn't just another bad guy. This is the end of the world. Do you know how crazy that is? You can't tell me that you're not scared?" Dan ran an anxious hand through his hair, hoping she would come to her senses.

"Of course, I'm scared. I've been scared every day leading up to this, but I'm still going to fight. I'm still going to do everything I can to protect her." Chloe nodded her head in the direction of her daughter beyond the front door. "Dan, I'm staying."

Shaking his head, Dan diverted his eyes away from his ex-wife. "You can be too stubborn for your own good, sometimes."

Lucifer leaned his head back against the glass window as he spoke out in a dry tone. "Hear, hear." Ignoring Chloe's deadpan stare from across the room, Lucifer looked back over his shoulder to assess the young one's distance.

Dan lifted his hands to his hips as he begrudgingly accepted Chloe's decision. "So, what happens if this all fails? What then?"

Taking a long sip from her coffee, Chloe darted her eyes to Lucifer, but he stared back with no response. The warmth of the mug slowly began to shrink as the brown liquid made its way down to the bottom. Chloe sighed, knowing Dan wouldn't like the answer. "We don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? You don't have a plan if you lose?" Dan's eyes widened in frustration and disbelief as he twisted his body back to look at Lucifer.

Pushing his body off the windowsill, Lucifer approached Dan from behind, slapping a hand down on his shoulder. "Typically, when one loses to an apocalypse, there is no back-up plan. The outcome is decided for us, I presume. But, we're too busy planning on winning to think about that. Nice to know that you have faith in us, though. I always appreciated your support. Incoming, by the way." Just as Lucifer pointed a finger to the front door, Trixie walked through with eyes glued to a piece of paper.

The mid-morning glow made the paper transparent from Chloe's end, and she could see the checkboxes beside each item listed on the sheet.

"Everything's on the list! We are down one bag of jerky, but I think we have more than enough food." Trixie folded the paper in half, creating a crisp line as she ran her fingers along the crease. Her accomplished smile faded at the sight of her father's fragile state, and her eyes scanned the group, noticing the room's temperament. Being a child of divorce allowed Trixie to be more observant of other people's emotions, and she became good at knowing when someone was faking it to get by. "What's going on?"

Maze caught up, entering the apartment with an open bag of jerky in her hand. One hand plunged in to grab a piece, but she stopped herself from bringing the dried meat to her lips as she felt the tension in the room, crossing the threshold.

No one spoke, but their eyes continued to dart to one another. Trixie watched the forced, tensed smiles on her parent's faces, and she looked to Lucifer for answers. "Lucifer, you wouldn't lie to me. What's going on?"

The Devil parted his lips to speak, and by the look on his face, he was prepared for a snarky response, but he stopped himself. Squeezing his fists closed, his hands shook in his pockets from the intense pressure. He jutted his chin out as his neck tensed from his uncomfortable state. "Nothing." His chest tightened as he told a lie. Lucifer could feel Chloe and Maze's eyes beating down on him across the room, and he slowly closed his eyes, waiting for the discomfort to pass. "Your mother is just going to miss you." His fists slowly came undone by speaking the truth, and he opened his eyes.

Dan looked down at his watch, wanting to set their plan into action. "We should probably hit the road. It's about a five-hour drive to the camp, and it's going to take us some time to get Everything set-up before nightfall."

Chloe sat her coffee down on a nearby end table, and she made her way to her daughter, rubbing her hands down Trixie's arms. "Okay, you're going to be good for your dad, right?" Her middle finger lightly combed a stray piece of hair behind Trixie's ear, and her hand cupped her daughter's face, watching her nod in response. "Come here." Chloe pulled Trixie into her body, turning their short hug into a tighter hold.

Dan took a few steps back to stand shoulder to shoulder with Lucifer. They were out of earshot to provide some privacy for the mother-daughter goodbye, and Dan felt his heartbeat quicken from the fear and anxiety of a war he had no control over. "You'll do everything you can to protect her, right?"

He didn't know if Dan was speaking about Chloe or Trixie, but it didn't matter. "I'll do everything I can to protect both of them."

"Mom, I can't breath." Trixie was breathless as she spoke, and her eyes bulged out of her sockets at the intense, suffocating hug she received.

"I'm sorry." Chloe released her arms from her daughter's back, and she cupped both of her hands around her daughter's cheeks. Her eyes studied the young face in her hands, and Chloe tried her best to ingrain every detail to memory. "I love you." Chloe's eyes began to burn, and she swallowed through her the tightness in her throat to prevent anything from falling down her cheeks.

"I love you, too. I'll be back in a week, mom. It's just a week." Trixie laughed out a confused chuckle as she felt her cheeks squeeze together in her mother's hold.

Slowly bringing her lips to her daughter's forehead, Chloe refrained from hugging her daughter once more. She wanted to cradle her young tween daughter in her arms, not caring if it looked odd. This was a moment Chloe wished she could make last longer, but the time was ticking. Finally releasing her hands from her daughter, Chloe folded her arms against her stomach, trying to prevent the sick, nauseating feeling from showing itself.

Dan felt as if his feet were glued to the floor, but he knew he had to walk out of the apartment with his chin held high for his daughter. He didn't know what he was returning to in a week or what phone call he'd receive. Before stepping forward, Dan turned to face Lucifer, revealing his hand as an open invitation. Dropping his tense shoulders, Lucifer removed his right hand from his pocket, clasping into Dan's for a firm handshake. They shared a simple and subtle nod before Dan headed toward the door.

"I'll walk you out." Maze rested her free hand on Trixie's shoulder, wanting to spend every last second with her. As she stepped alongside Trixie, Maze almost tripped to a sudden, abrupt stop. The demon's fingertips glided off her young friend's shoulder as Trixie quickly ran across the room.

Trixie threw her body against Lucifer's, causing him to grunt out from the forceful blow to his abdomen. Her arms wrapped around his torso as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut, embracing the moment.

"Bloody hell." Lucifer murmured under his breath as he refrained from softening in her presence. He continued to stand tall with hands in his pockets as Trixie tightened her hug. Rolling his eyes up, Lucifer retrieved his hands out of their pockets, placing them on her back. He tried to prevent the small smile forming on his lips from growing more.

Trixie's head shot up to stare at the man towering over her. "Bye, Lucifer." Taking her arms back to her side, Trixie turned to walk a quick step back to Maze, and her miniature silhouette disappeared into the mid-morning sunlight.

Startled by the arms swooping around her neck, Chloe adjusted her stance as she spoke, "Oh." The weight of Dan's apprehension of the upcoming week caused his hug to hang heavy off Chloe's body. She didn't remember the last time they shared an embrace this meaningful, and she smiled, feeling his remaining love for her carry on through his arms.

Dan stepped back, quickly zipping up his vest and avoiding his ex-wife's eyes. "Goodbye, Chloe."

Her hand reached out, holding onto his elbow to grab his attention one last time. "I'll see you in a week, Dan." Chloe had a calming, hopeful smile on her lips, but she knew it didn't comfort him.

The door creaked closed behind Dan, leaving the apartment to feel cold and empty.

* * *

It had only been four hours since the goodbye, and Chloe continued to remain hidden behind her thoughts and fears. She was present in her conversations with Lucifer and Maze, contributing small remarks and looking engaged, but her mind wandered to a darker place she didn't want her company to see. The dark place held onto her with a tight grip, not allowing her eyes to shut.

As the afternoon sun reached its zenith, the apartment fell silent as the demon faded out into a deep sleep on the couch from her long night. The faint sound of a ticking second-hand rotating around the clock on the wall was enough background noise to keep Chloe focused on the task in front of her. She began to wrap some of her fragile items in newspaper and bubble wrap, placing them into the deep bellied cardboard box labeled "fragile." Glass vases, picture frames, and clay artwork from Trixie's younger days were stacked away into the Tetris-like pile, and Chloe looked out her window with a porcelain dove figurine, waiting to be wrapped. The dove was a gift from her mother when she was going through her divorce from Dan, and Chloe began to feel a pang of immense guilt for not contacting her mom more often.

Lucifer picked up three books at a time from Chloe's bookshelf, reading their spine to see if they would be of interest to him as he placed them into a separate cardboard box. Clearing the final row of books, Lucifer enthusiastically dropped the last four down, and a loud, massive smack of hardcovers colliding made Chloe jump out of her deep thoughts.

Turning around, Chloe darted her eyes to Maze asleep on the couch. "Lucifer, you're going to wake Maze. None of us want that." She whispered low, and Lucifer had to narrow his eyes to read her lips.

"No, I won't." Lucifer began to whistle as if an owner were calling their dog back home. "Maze. Mazikeen, wake up." He casually walked to the edge of the couch, wiggling the toe of her boot. "See? Out cold."

Chloe dropped her head to the side, watching the Devil taunt his sleeping demon. Turning back toward the window, Chloe grabbed another piece of newspaper, wrapping her last figurine away. "I hate this." Her voice was low below her breath, but Lucifer could hear her clearly.

"I offered to pay for the packing service."

"No, it's not that." Chloe lazily closed the top cardboard flaps, turning back to her almost bare living room. "I hate waiting. It's one thing knowing a war is headed our way, but now we're just waiting around, waiting for it to start. I'm tired of being on edge all the time. Aren't there signs or something we should be looking for?"

Lucifer unbuttoned his suit jacket, exposing his white button-down shirt. "Ah, yes. The four horsemen of the apocalypse will come riding down Rodeo Drive, crying out 'the angels are coming. The angels are coming'."

"Lucifer, I'm serious." Chloe's body sank to the sound of her fears being ridiculed.

He cocked his head to the side, taken back by the complete look of anguish on her face. "I've seen a lot of things in my lifetime, Detective. World wars, genocide, terrorist attacks, Keeping up the Kardashians, but I've never had the fortune of seeing the world's end. I'm just as restless as you are."

"Are you?" Chloe insecurely folded her arms as she stared at him in disbelief. From her perspective, he seemed almost excited about the fight.

He fell silent, looking back to a sleeping Maze, and his face softened into a distant stare. Lucifer looked off into the corner of the room with eyes of concern as desolate thoughts passed through him. He didn't know how to form into words what he was currently feeling. As he traveled over to Chloe, the darkness faded. "Let's go for a drive."

This was the first time she saw him look unsettled at the thought of the impending war. Dropping her arms back down to her sides, she nodded to go with him.

They drove along the Palos Verdes Peninsula, enjoying the light breeze wafting through their hair. The road was winding and scenic enough to make them forget they were just outside of the LA city limits. Chloe wrenched her head back, feeling the sun's rays on her face, and she smiled as Lucifer picked up speed around a bend.

Passing the signs for a viewpoint a mile ahead, Lucifer began to slow his car until he reached the cliff point. A dust of sand puffed up around his wheels as his vehicle parked over the desert Earth below. The streets were quiet, with only a few cars passing every other minute, and they were the only car to rest at the viewpoint, making them feel like they were in their own world.

Slamming their doors shut, Chloe and Lucifer met at the front of the car, leaning their bodies down against the hood. A stream of the sun's light reflected onto the ocean's surface, and they stared out into the horizon, watching the silhouettes of boats pass in the distance.

"I know it may not seem like it, but I am restless." Lucifer placed his hands in his pockets, keeping his focus on the water. "I don't find joy in thinking of Michael trying to end this place, the idea of Amenadiel falling short in this fight, or the idea of you getting hurt. If I had it my way, you would be in that car with Daniel, far away from all of this, but we both know you would put up a fight. No part of me looks forward to this. Well, maybe a small part. Defeating Michael will be fun in itself, but at what cost?" He paused, releasing a slow and controlled breath. "I'm sick of waiting, too, but I'm not going to let him stop me from wanting to live the life I want."

Chloe crossed one ankle over the other, entwining her fingers at her waistline. "Well, that's a relief. Here I was thinking you were looking forward to it."

He looked down at her with an intrigued smile. "I'm looking forward to what happens when it's over. Maybe we can finally find some peace around here."

She looked up to him, and as their eyes met, their lips parted into endearing smiles that reflected off of one another. A flock of seagulls bursts out from the shallow beach below, crying out in shrill calls, and Chloe jerked her head toward the startling noise. Contradictory winds rustled the bushes around them, causing Lucifer to look up and around at the sudden change in the air.

Rumbling from below made the couple look down the thin layer of sand around their feet. As the rumbling increased to a larger magnitude, Chloe and Lucifer began to lose their balance on unsteady Earth. Tightly holding onto one another's forearm, Lucifer yanked Chloe away from the edge of the viewpoint, guiding her to the car's side. Rocks could be heard coming loose from the cliff inches away from them, falling into the ocean below. Squatting to the floor, Lucifer pinned his Detective against his car, covering her head with his arms as he looked around for potential harm. As the Earth shook uncontrollably, so did his focus.

The rumbling deescalated into a light humming vibration, working its way back down to Earth's core. Slowly standing to his feet, Lucifer relayed a hand out for Chloe to take as he pulled her back up. Their heads twisted around, looking for any damage around them. "I think I spoke too soon."

Chloe gently rubbed a hand down his arm to reassure him. "It was just an earthquake."

A large shadow appeared over the ocean, and it quickly coated the waves like a blanket. Furrowing their brows, Lucifer and Chloe looked up to the sky in search of misplaced clouds on a clear day. Blocking Chloe's eyes with his hand, Lucifer watched the sun's light drown behind a black force of nature.

"Lucifer, what's happening?" Chloe tugged on his persistent hand, but it was no use.

"It's an eclipse. It doesn't make any sense." His eyes searched the sky that was bright blue and clear only minutes ago.

Chloe kept her eyes down onto the sand as she watched the sun dissipate into darkness. Following the racing shadow line on its last searches of light, Chloe turned around to watch the hills behind them fade out of the sun's reach. She lifted her eyes to the sky above Los Angeles, and her mouth trembled open. "Lucifer?"

Lucifer turned around to find a wall cloud of ash grey span over the city. His eyes widened at the daunting sight, and he swallowed back in panic. "Detective, if you want a sign, I think this is it."


	16. It's going to Be Okay

A swift breeze flew through the open balcony doors as a muted roar of thunder sounded off from a distance. As the storm moved its way closer over the LA skyline, the temperature began to drop to cooling temperatures with every whistle of the wind. Goosebumps began to trace the exposed arms and legs of the angels, humans, and demon of Lux's penthouse suite. Opening the leather trunk that used to reside at the foot of her bed, Maze began to forage through the chest. One by one, she spread out spiked clubs, bronze maces, swords with intricate handles, and sets of hell-forged daggers across the bar.

Flint grey wings flapped down onto the edge of the balcony without a sound. Retracting before the threshold, Gabriel walked through the balcony doors with urgent feet slapping against the floor. "The cloud is hovering just beyond the mountain, but it's moving this way." His chest heaved up and down as he grew out of breath from his venture in the sky. He had to be quick and stealth-like in his flight to ensure he was not spotted or sensed by his siblings. "I'm certain it's them."

Linda swayed her hips from left to right, cradling Charlie's head against her chest. "I don't understand how Michael's doing this."

The angels and their father spoke out in unison. "Ana." Raphael and Cassiel began lifting the different weapons available to them, testing their grip on the club handles. Bustling the train of her white dress, Jophiel calmly sat on the edge of the couch preoccupied with her buttons as Azrael lazily zipped her hoodie up and down, hiding her unease. Zadkiel and Gabriel stayed close to the balcony and their father, watching over the dark skies above. As another rumble of thunder roared in the background, Lucifer walked down the steps from his bedroom, placing his suit jacket on a hanger to prevent any wear or tear during the fight. Amenadiel placed a hand on his son's head, and his arm followed along to Linda's nervous sways.

"Ana?" Linda looked around the room to the distracted army before her, waiting for someone to speak.

"Ananiel, our sister." Amenadiel looked back over his shoulder as another gust of wind slid along the edge of the building. "This is her gift; her power."

Holding Charlie tighter, Linda rolled her eyes, murmuring under her breath. "Of course, your sister is Mother freakin' Nature."

"How much time do we have?" Maze's hoarse voice traveled across the room, directing it in Gabriel's ear. One combat boot was up on the piano stool, being aggressively tied as Maze ran the laces around the boot hooks.

Gabriel was silent for a moment, causing the room to stop, stare, and wait. It was unlike Gabriel to falter in his words.

"Gabe?" Zadkiel's eyes traveled up his brother's arms, and he leaned his head back due to the height difference.

Clearing his throat, Gabriel cleared his distracted mind, turning to face the room. "Michael has a larger army than we anticipated. From what I saw, there's no talking our siblings out of this war."

"What do you mean?" Lucifer took a fresh sip of scotch from behind the bar, narrowing his eyes on the image passing through his mind. "Did he recruit more siblings?"

Gabriel crossed his arms against his chest, giving a sideways glance to his father beside him. "Not exactly. What Lilith said was true. She may have started bringing demons to Earth, but they didn't need her to continue by the looks of it."

"How many?" Maze slid a dagger into the strap wrapped around her calf, looking more concerned.

Darting his eyes to Chloe, Gabriel produced a weak smile. "Chloe, I think you should start preparing."

"Great, no pressure," Chloe spoke low under her breath. Her back leaned against the bookshelves as she fiddled nervously with the bullet necklace that hung low between her breasts. She stared out with distant eyes across the room, and the butterflies that flew around in her stomach turned into untamed bats.

A crackle of lightning scattered across the sky, illuminating the penthouse suite in a dark purple, and everyone drew their attention to the sky, waiting for a roll of thunder to follow. Lucifer looked up to the ceiling, concerned at the silence that followed. Like Heaven's gates slamming closed shut, a clap of thunder blasted above their heads, sending intense vibrations through the walls and the lights that brought life to the suite extinguished into darkness.

"There's no more time. You all need to go now." God shared a distressed look with his eldest son before looking back to the balcony.

Amenadiel bent over, lightly pressing his lips to his son's head. In a flurry of feathers, footsteps, and fear, the group was gone.

God began to shut the balcony doors closed as Linda looked around the empty suite with widened eyes filled with tears. She raced toward the closed doors, searching the sky for any sign of her friends and family, but she just found eerie darkness that she wished would go away.

"Come away from the windows, Linda. Sit with me. It has begun."

* * *

Eight sets of feet landed just beyond the San Gabriel mountains. The Earth was flat and remote, with desert sands whipping around their bodies. Lucifer gently placed Chloe down out of his hold while Maze jumped out of Cassiel's arms, gripping her blades into a fighter stance. Everyone's heads were twisting and turning, looking in all forms of direction. They were half a mile away from the commotion that assembled in the middle of the desert. The darkest of clouds hung from the sky above, and sand whirls spun around below, creating a wall of desert that was impossible to see through.

"They're up there." Raphael cranked his head up with his back to the group, staring at the mouth of the wall cloud moving toward the steep climb. A ripple of scattered thunder sounded from the Mountain's peak as the group looked up.

"Is that enough distance for you, Lucifer?" Gabriel jerked his head to the side, his urgent eyes watching his brother gauge the height up the Mountain. The only wildcard the team experienced in training was the proximity issue between Lucifer and Chloe during the fight. Now, staring at the menacing storm surrounding the high peaks, they had a better idea of how to split up their group.

"More than enough." Lucifer felt Chloe slide her hand into his, squeezing their fingers into a tight hold.

Amenadiel walked in front of the group, waving his arm toward one half. "We'll head up there..." Gabriel, Raphael, and Jophiel stepped forward, spreading their wings wide. "... and you all will takedown here." Cassiel, Azrael, Zadkiel, and Maze stepped back, giving the first crew room for their wings.

Everyone took a long second to look at one another, pausing in their last moment together before they broke out into their teams. Amenadiel looked down, trying to think of something to say. "I- I know this isn't what I wanted. None of us wanted it to come to this." He paused, clearing his throat to hide an emotional wave working through his body. "I don't know what to say, but all I can think is that I hope I see you on the other side of this." His words were darker than he intended, but they were the truth. They all knew their lives were on the line, and that not everyone was going to walk away clean.

"Inspirational." Maze spoke out with a monotone voice, tilting her head to the side in boredom.

Rolling his eyes, Amenadiel stepped back to expand his charcoal grey wings out. "Good luck, everyone."

Lucifer could feel Chloe grip his hand tighter, not ready to let go yet- not prepared to say goodbye. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "We're going to get through this." Lucifer released his hand from her grip, cupping his palms around the outside of her cheeks. His lips lightly pressed against her forehead, and her hands tugged down on his wrists, trying to make him stay one second longer. Closing their eyes, their foreheads touched as they released one breath together. "I'll see you after this."

Chloe swallowed away the sob forming deep in her throat as she held his hands tighter. Not daring to open her eyes, Chloe listened as the white wings unfurled along his body and the rustling of feathers against the sand storm around them. The fingers that wrapped around his hands soon closed in on themselves as he disappeared from touch, taste, and sound. Slowly opening her eyes, Chloe found the first group of angels gone, and she looked up the Mountain for any sign of their wings, but dark clouds swallowed the rocky peaks.

Azrael, Cassiel, Chloe, Maze, and Zadkiel took a few steps away from the base of the San Gabriel mountains, walking further into the desert. They remained quiet, but close to one another, not knowing what to expect. The sand whirls continued to spin like wild funnels below the clouds, and the group stopped as they grew too close for comfort.

"So, where are they?" Maze slowly scanned the land around her, loosening her grip on the hell-forged blades in her hands.

"I don't know." Cassiel cautiously looked behind them to ensure there were no surprise attacks.

Gabriel's words still stung the back of their minds. They all thought of the demon ambush awaiting their arrival, but the desert around them was empty. The wind's whistles began to fade, and the air current slowed to a breeze. As the air around them calmed, Zadkiel turned around to look up the Mountain. "It looks like Ana's stopping. They must be up there with them."

The sand whirls lost their momentum, slowing to a stop. Mounds of Earth fell back to the ground floor, creating a massive dust cloud that caused the group to shield their eyes and wave their free hands to waft the sand away. Chloe coughed out an accidental inhale of uninvited sand as Azrael narrowed her eyes on something in the distance.

As the sand settled and the dust dissipated, shadowy figures began to form one by one. From beyond the wall of Earth, moving silhouettes came into focus. Ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred. Chloe wafted her hand once more, and her vision cleared.

A thin layer of sand remained in the air, but the figures continued to multiply. Two hundred, three hundred, five hundred. The silhouettes began to form legs, arms, shoulders, and faces. Seven hundred, nine hundred. The curtain of dust was gone, and the group took a step back as their eyes scanned the landscape in front of them. One thousand, two thousand, three thousand.

Over four thousand demons marched in a row toward the mountains with their army filling in the land behind them. The sea of heads came to a sudden stop at the sight of three angels, a demon and a human. Four hundred meters separated the team from their fate. The land fell silent as both armies stared at each other from across the desert.

Like a bird asserting its dominance, Cassiel's caramel wings unfurled, stretching behind Maze's and Chloe's bodies. Retrieving two gold poniards from the holster around his waist, Zadkiel's eyes narrowed as he squatted down into a sprinter's lunge. Azrael rolled her shoulders back, cracking her knuckles one pop at a time. Squeezing her hands tighter around the blades, Maze moved her arms up into a guarded position as her eyes scanned the army of demons for any false starts. Chloe closed her eyes, taking in one final calm breath and her fingers tucked away the bullet necklace that she fiddled with nervously.

Gabriel's trumpet sounded from a distance signaling the beginning of the war, and the team felt the Earth shake from the stampedes of demons charging toward them.

* * *

A snake-like grin slithered across Michael's lips as he felt five sets of feet slam down onto the mountain's edge behind him. "It's about time. I was starting to wonder if you'd given up already."

Remiel spun around with a tightened grip around her lance, pointing the blade in Jophiel's direction. The red-headed beauty did not flinch at her sister's intimidating shank motion, and her eyes softened on Remiel's threatening stare.

"Michael, this is insane. Do you even know what you're doing?" Raphael pleaded with his brother, ignoring the rolling thunder rumbling around his head.

The tumultuous family reunion was level with the clouds around them. The cloud's dense formation encapsulated the peak of the mountain, and a crackle of lightning zoomed in between the two armies. Gabriel jumped back just as the bolt missed his shin. "Ana, stop!"

Through the ash-colored clouds, white eyes popped open from below, and Ananiel stood from her meditative state. Her black onyx skin matched the severe weather she created for the world below. Her hairline blended in with her skin tone seamlessly, and long onyx dreads fell around her shoulders like the leaves of a weeping willow. As she joined Michael's side, the howling winds subsided.

"I know exactly what I'm doing, I've never seen clearer." Michael opened his arms wide, displaying his cocky chest. "You know, I always knew you were father's lackeys. Brainwashed into ad nauseam. But this…" Michael forcefully extended his arm out, pointing a finger in Lucifer's direction. "...this is just- wow. I never thought I'd see the day that you'd want to side with him."

"He's not the angel you think he is, Michael." Gabriel clasped his hands around the leather strap across his chest, holding the war trumpet secure against his back.

"That's because he's not an angel." Selaphiel walked out from behind Michael, holding a double-edged battle-ax. "I was there in Eden. Father made sure I was the one to remove Adam and Eve from his lure. I saw what you did, Samael. I saw you corrupt the first woman, destroying father's plans. Because of you, none of these humans can walk this Earth with true purity in their souls." The angel was short and stout with fiery red hair that reached toward the end of his shoulder blades. A thick, single braid formed at Sela's right temple, continuing behind his ear, and half of his face hid below an orange, burly beard.

Lucifer felt his muscle tense as he clenched his fists closed. There was no changing their minds, no reasoning at a time like this, but he remained prepared. The team was not ready to find tensions so high from the start, but the dark versions of their siblings were lost in Michael's negative perception of the world their father built.

"Cam, please." Amenadiel looked at his brother, who was a younger replica of himself. Camael wore a white linen button up to the base of his neck, emphasizing his dark, midnight colored skin. The eldest angel thought he saw a hint of hesitation in his brother's eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Michael's voice overpowered the movement.

"We don't have any other choice but to fix our father's mess. This world needs a reset, and it starts now. You're either with us, or you're against us. I'll give you one last opportunity to come to your senses." Silence broke between the armies, and Michael scanned his siblings, skipping Lucifer.

"What you're doing is wrong, and you know that, brother." Jophiel's voice was soft as she kept her focus on her sister, directing her words toward Michael.

Michael began to nod his head, moving closer to Remiel slowly. "So, you've made your choice then?" Rolling his head around his neck, Michael took a step back to compose himself for what was to come. "Remiel, no mercy."

Amenadiel and his army furrowed their brows in confusion, darting their eyes to Remiel.

Tears began to form on the eyes of the stern warrior before Jophiel. Hesitating in her stance, Remiel quickly blinked her tears away, trembling her lips open to speak. "I'm sorry." With no delay, the lance drove through Jophiel's chest, and the blade's tip emerged through the strawberry-blonde's back.

Raphael lunged forward in a cracked roar. "No!"

As the lance retracted back from its first victim, both armies watched as the white lace gown began to turn scarlet red. Jophiel covered the open wound with her hands, but it wasn't enough to stop the bleeding. Feeling each heartbeat weaken, the angel fell to her defeat. Raphael caught his sister's head before it hammered down onto the stone.

Amenadiel and Lucifer turned to Michael with widened, angry eyes. Yanking the leather strap across his chest down, Gabriel swung the horn around to signal the start of battle.

* * *

A snarl accompanied the right-hand blow coming toward Maze. Bobbing and weaving to her left, Maze popped her body up with a cross-body punch, stunning her opponent backward. A demon in the form of a female postal worker lunged forward, and before they could get close enough, Hell's number one demon ax kicked the woman. Striking her heel down the worker's face, Maze rammed her dagger into the demon's chest, twisting the blade to feel a crack in the ribcage.

Zooming from left to right, a blurred yellow figure forced their way along the front line of demons, and blood splatter followed behind. Zadkiel was the smallest of his brothers, but he was also the quickest. Being equipped with heaven's fastest feet and assassin-like knife skills, Zadkiel began to quickly eliminate the demons, who fell to the desert floor without even seeing their killer.

The curved line of demons on the front line was never-ending, it seemed. The team felt themselves continually taking steps back, trying to stop the wall of evil from passing through them. They were outnumbered, and even though their fight was strong, they knew they couldn't maintain this stamina forever.

The army of demons was a mix of human vessels and demons of true form. Michael and his angels created public transportation for the underworld dwellers. They stood out among the LA flesh with their exposed bone, muscle, and tissue. Not only did they bring their thirst for revenge, but each true form demon held hell-forged weaponry. The naginata type of weapons made the team grow more concerned over their well-being.

Azrael expanded her long black wings, jumping to the left as the demons found an opening to the mountains. Taking a knee, she spun like a helicopter taking off for flight. Her black wings whirled around, acting as sharp blades, and the demons that dared to challenge the angel of death lost limbs, organs, and lives. Growing dizzy, Azrael slowed down, catching her breath.

The team took a few paces back once more as the impenetrable wall of demons continued to overpower the army of five.

Cassiel waved his wings back, gaining momentum before curling them forward. A powerful force of energy released through his wings, creating a sonic boom of wind as he kneeled, pressing his fist into the ground. Three rows of demons flew backward onto their peers, dazed by the sudden blow.

Crossing her arms in a swift motion, Maze dug her daggers into the abdomens of two demons beside her, slicing their stomachs open. "Anytime now, Decker." She screamed over her shoulder, keeping her eyes focused on her next target.

The angels and demon created a shield of protection for Chloe, waiting for her light to come through.

Frustrated and maddened by her stage fright, Chloe screamed back with a sharp tongue. "I'm trying over here!" She turned her back onto the battle before her, crossing her wrists, hovering them above her chest. Chloe expanded her fingers wider and squeezed her eyes tightly shut, searching for the power inside. Her plump lips parted as she sighed out a cleansing breath. "Come on. Come on. Come on."

"Maze!" Cassiel screamed her name out as she cried out in agony.

Maze quickly cupped a hand to her opposite arm, feeling the skin sliced open. Turning around to find the culprit, Maze swung her body around, round-house kicking the demon's skull. A giant snap sounded off through the stampede of feet as the skull detached from the spine. Maze caught their double-headed spear before their lifeless body fell to the sand.

Keeping her eyes closed, Chloe absorbed the sounds of exhaustion, pain, and death around her. Closing her hands around her chest into a hug, a surge of burning light expanded from her heart, down her legs, and out of her fingertips. Gasping at the overwhelming uproar of white flames illuminating around her body, Chloe turned around. She took careful steps toward her front line friends and her arms raised with palms facing the malevolence in front of her. A blanket of nimble white light flowed out of her hands, coating the first line of demon soldiers. Moving her arms out to her sides at shoulder level, Chloe's light traveled down the curved line of defense, and the bodies before her began dissolving into black smoke.

Azrael, Cassiel, Maze, and Zadkiel retreated behind their shield of light, regaining their breath and strength. Bending over to rest his hands on his knees, an out of breath Zadkiel watched the smoke travel up toward the clouds. "You're doing great, Chloe."

Maze looked around her body for unnoticed damage, already attuned to Chloe's power and her brother's and sisters' fate. On the other hand, the angels had seen Chloe's light from training but didn't know the influence it had. Their eyes lit up in the white glow of Chloe's gift, amazed by the demons now turned fallen ash.

Witnessing the secret weapon their enemies had, the demons began to retreat their army back in small steps. Knowing what the white light had fated for them, the stampede stood still.

* * *

His eyes were hungry for revenge as he slowly stepped forward, focusing on his target. Raphael's biceps flexed as he tensed his arms, closing his hands into tight fists. The lance in Remiel's hands poked the air between them as a warning for Raphael to keep his distance, but he did not listen. A war cry sounded from his sister's lungs, and Remiel lunged forward, ready for the fight. Her lance flew around Raphael as he dodged up, down, left, and right. As Remiel raised her weapon above her head for a final strike, Raphael opened his arms, waiting for the blade to strike his heart. The shaft whistled through the growing winds, driving down with an incredible force, but it was not enough. Raphael's hands quickly gripped around the lance, and he looked down to see the blade's pointed end an inch away from his chest.

Gripping the lance harder, Raphael shoved the weapon back on its owner, and Remiel stumbled back as the butt end of her shaft stunned her in the face. The hunter's weapon was now in Raphael's possession, and Remiel widened her eyes, waiting to die at the hands of her own device. Raphael raised the wooden shaft sideways, slamming it down onto his knee, and he watched the weapon split in half like a simple, thin twig. Throwing both ends off to the side, they could hear the broken wood bang against the rocky mountain's edge. He could see the look of hesitation on his sister's face as she looked around for a piece of the weapon in the dense cloud formation that swallowed their calves and feet.

"No more hiding behind your toys, Remi." Raphael gestured with his hands for his sister to come at him, and he waited as a bolt of lightning zoomed between them. His taunting smile drove Remiel mad, and she sprinted forward with fists in the air.

Gabriel was on the opposite end of the mountain's peak, battling Ana and the current lashings he received from her dreadlocks. Crossing his arms into a tight X, Gabriel blocked and protected himself from Ana's repeated front kicks. He waited for her to tire herself out before striking his fists up, punching her in the face. The more they fought, the more severe the weather grew. The dark grey clouds around them turned black blow after blow. A strike of lightning slid along the edge of Gabriel's cheek, forcing him to stumble back.

Finding an opening, Ana flew her body forward, placing Gabriel onto his spine. His head banged against a sharp edge of rock as his sister straddled his torso, her light, delicate hands gripping around his neck. Ana forced his head up just to drive it back down onto the jagged rocks, and he could feel the stones grow wet from his blood. Gripping his sister's forearms, Gabriel lifted his hips, throwing her off balance. Ana was quickly flipped onto her back, trapped under her brother's forceful punches to the head, neck, and chest.

Amenadiel listened to the chaos around him as his eyes focused on the double-edged battle-ax in his brother's hands. "I don't want to hurt you, Sela."

Spinning the wooden handle in a teasing matter, Selaphiel laughed, seeing his eldest brother raise his hands defensively. "You think you can hurt me? You may have been the Silver City's strongest warrior, but that was then. You chose this land; you chose to give up that title once you declared this place your home." Selaphiel swung the ax in a semicircular motion, and Amenadiel jumped back a step. "Now, you're just as weak as the humans you walk with."

Flaring his nostrils, Amenadiel ducked the next swing of his brother's ax. Selaphiel overestimated his mighty swing, and he left his right side to be exposed to the beating. A back-handed punch to the ear produced a high-pitched ringing, and a quick elbow to the rib cage caused a loss of breath in the red-headed angel. Before swiping his brother's leg, leaving Sela to fend for himself on the ground, Amenadiel caught Cam standing in the distance, not partaking in the fight.

The young angel looked overwhelmed by the mess before him, and he continued to stay away in the shadows. Keeping a watchful eye on the ax that reflected the purple streams of lightning across its metal frame, Amenadiel tried calling out to his little brother, guarding himself against Selaphiel. "Cam, why? Why are you on their side?"

Selaphiel cried out as his ax whistled down toward Amenadiel's legs, but the eldest angel jumped the weapon.

It was an uneven fight. The City's strongest warrior was taller, stronger, and more experienced than his overzealous brother. Sweat was glistening out of the red locks, and Selaphiel began to grow tired from his constant beating as Amenadiel continued to miss every swing, jab, and kick.

"Why do you think?" Cam insecurely held his hands across his stomach, hoping none of his siblings wanted a piece of him.

Lucifer drowned out the sibling screams behind him as he watched Michael's movement in front of him. As the black clouds continued to swallow their legs, each movement looked as if his opponent were floating. Michael walked back and forth, looking for his moment to attack, and as a clap of thunder sounded off around them, Michael lunged forward, jabbing his fists in Lucifer's direction.

Keeping his hands in his pockets, Lucifer moved his head in every angle to avoid his brother's knuckles, and he made the moves look effortless. His unamused look angered Michael, and Lucifer ducked as his brother's heel came flying around his head. Quickly grabbing Michael's ankle, not letting his brother find balance again, Lucifer twisted the foot in his hands until he felt a crack reverberate through the leg. Michael spun to the ground in pain as Lucifer stepped over him. "You know, I was starting to grow a little concerned over this fight, but you're just reminding me that I have nothing to fear. It's actually quite disappointing, brother. Is this all that you got?"

Michael shot up, throwing his fists into cross hooks right and left, and Lucifer caught both of his brother's arms, holding them in a tight, entangled mess. Their faces were just inches away from one another, and they could see their reflection in their brother's pupils. Lucifer drove his head forward, butting foreheads and Michael stumbled back by force. "I mean, if you really think about it, you haven't done much, have you?"

Flying his body forward, Michael placed all of his strength into driving his fists and feet into his brother. Lucifer took a blow to his abdomen and his right jaw, but he managed to miss the rest. "Lilith was the one to raise the dead, so to speak. Lilith was the one to torture, the Detective."

Michael lunged forward, crescent kicking Lucifer across the face, and as his foot landed back onto the mountain, he found himself falling forward. Acting quick from the sudden whack to the cheek, Lucifer swiped Michael's stable leg, and he watched his brother disappear beneath the line of the clouds, falling on his back. "The demons are doing most of the destruction. Ana is controlling all of this." Lucifer waved his hands around to showcase the weather around them as Michael stood back up. "Which, by the way, she is doing a great job. Really. She managed to hit the apocalyptic mood right on the nose. But, it just makes me wonder, what did you?"

"I started a revolution." Michael stretched his arms out wide to emphasize the destruction happening beside and below them.

"Did you? At least in my rebellion, I was doing all the action. From where I'm standing, you just talked a lot, forcing others to do your bidding. Much like father, now that I think of it." Lucifer smirked, seeing the heat rise out of Michael.

Amenadiel dodged another sweep from the double-headed ax, and he grew annoyed with his brother's constant swings. As Selaphiel swung his arms back for momentum, Amenadiel drove his right arm up, uppercutting his brother under the chin, and Selaphiel went flying back out of view. Replacing his focus to Camael, Amenadiel's eyes pleaded with his youngest brother. "You were always one of the few that sympathized with humanity. What's changed?"

"You changed. You chose the humans over your own family. You left us all behind. You left me behind." Camael's face was torn with pain and abandonment as he avoided Amenadiel's eyes.

"Me? Did you go to war over me? Camael, humanity shouldn't have to suffer for this." Amenadiel pointed a hard finger down to the Earth as his face grew angrier over his youngest brother's actions.

Two sets up wings flung open, wafting the black clouds around in a narrow funnel. Raphael and Remiel fluffed their feathers, trying to assert stronger supremacy over the other. The angel with brown, curly hair jerked his head up as his sister disappeared into thin air. He tried to ignore the sounds of war inches away from him as he listened for the sound of her flight. Through the darkness, Remiel flew straight down with all of her strength, tackling her brother. Their wings, arms, and legs were tangled into one another as they grappled on the edge of the peak. With one final kick, both brother and sister fell off the side of the mountain.

Rocks tumbling into one another echoed from the other end. Gabriel held Ana's right leg and arm as he swung her around as a shot put. Throwing her body against a spike-like rock, he regained his strength, waiting for her to recover. Gabriel's chest heaved up and down as he waited for her next attack, but it did not come.

Ana was far enough to be out of his grasp, and she stood still, eyes scanning the current fight. "Cam, it's time." Expanding her dark narrow wings, she took off for flight, and her body angled down, off the mountain.

Camael turned his head slightly, following his sister's voice and command. He turned his head back to Amenadiel, thinking of a response to his eldest brother's plea. "No, they shouldn't have to suffer, but they will." Expanding his light cream wings, Camael disappeared, following his sister's suit.

Amenadiel spun around to face Gabriel, who looked around them confused. "What's happening? Where did they go?"

Gabriel scanned the sky above them, and he quickly glanced at the clouds skimming the floor below. With widening eyes, he looked back up to Amenadiel, and his voice roared over the fight between Lucifer and Michael. "Ambush. They're going to ambush them."

"Go!" Amenadiel's voice echoed from his side of the mountain, and he watched Gabriel take flight. He counted the siblings that started this fight and only found himself, Lucifer, and Michael left.

Michael held Lucifer in a headlock from the side, and all they could see was black smoke encapsulating them. Striking the groin, Lucifer dug his finger into Michael's eyes, pushing his head back, forcing him to the floor. With a swift kick to his brother's head, Lucifer felt red flames burn in his eyes as their fight continued to escalate. Michael hammer punched his brother in the weakest part of his ankle, and Lucifer fell onto his back.

As Lucifer's hand slapped down onto the rock's surface, he felt the broken rod from Remiel's lance beside him, under a cloud of black. It became a race to see who was quicker in their fight as both brothers fought to stand, to be the one on top. In the end, Lucifer had a faster hand. Straddling over his brother, resting a firm grip around the base of his throat, Lucifer raised the wooden shard into the air, ready to stake his brother.

"Do it. End me. End my life like how you ended Uriel's." Michael spoke through his teeth, edging his brother on, but Lucifer recoiled his hand. "Do it!" He saw the hesitation in the Devil's face, and it maddened Michael that he was being proven wrong once again about Lucifer. "Do it. Kill me."

Lucifer felt his insides twist and turn watching his brother beg for his life to end. He remembered the hate in his brother's eyes on the day he was thrown out of the Silver City. Those eyes were ingrained in his mind for eons, and those eyes were back on display as he looked down on Michael. It was then Lucifer realized that the hate wasn't directed toward him, but Michael truly hated himself.

"Luci!" Amenadiel cupped his hands around his mouth, allowing his voice to echo across the mountain's peak in search of his brother.

Looking up, Lucifer could see above the thin line of clouds that hid his and Michael's battle. He could also see a stalking figure, silently walking up behind his brother. Selaphiel waited for the right time- waited for Amenadiel to turn his back on him and let his guard down. As Amenadiel searched through the clouds for Lucifer, Selaphiel watched his prey, swinging his ax one last time. With one fell swoop, Amenadiel's head was destined to be on the floor.

Dropping the broken piece of rod to the side, Lucifer abandoned Michael, unfurling his wings for flight. Plummeting down beside his two brothers, Lucifer stopped the ax mid-swing, twisting the handle and driving the blade into Selaphiel's stomach. It all happened so fast. Amenadiel quickly turned around, unaware of his doomed fate, and he held a hand to Lucifer's shoulder in thanks. Blood began to stream out of the corners of Selaphiel's trembling lips, and Lucifer yanked the weapon out of his brother's stomach. Both Amenadiel and Lucifer supported their dying brother, dropping him slowly to the ground where Selaphiel gasped his last breaths of life.

Lucifer dropped the ax beside his dead brother, and he watched the black clouds swallow the body. Feeling urgent taps on his arm, Lucifer followed Amenadiel's gaze across the mountain.

Michael was on his feet, taking small steps back to the mountain's edge. Expanding his wings out, Michael wiggled his fingers into a playful goodbye as he continued his fight to the desert floor.

* * *

"She needs a break." Maze cried out to her team as she watched Chloe's arm begin to shake from exhaustion.

Light continued to pour out of Chloe's hands, creating a protective wall around them. To date, this was the most prolonged duration of time she had been able to keep her power flowing. Her muscles began to feel weighed down by cement, and her arms were growing sore from the light leaving them. She had been protecting the team for longer than expected. The energy it took to take the lives of the demons before her began to exhaust her powers.

The wall began to shrink, inch by inch, and Chloe caught her footing as she lightly stumbled to the side. Her knees were growing weak as her breath began to shorten.

An Earth shaking pound to the ground, forced everyone, but Chloe, to turn their heads around. Raphael's wings enclosed around Remiel's body as they hurtled to the desert floor, continuing their fight.

"What's happening?" Chloe's voice was weak and dry as she screamed out over her shoulder. The winds had picked up, howling across the sand, and the thunder clapped harder over their heads.

Maze ran forward, trying to prevent herself from touching her friend. "Don't worry about it. How much longer do you think you can do this?"

"Um, I- I don't know." Chloe swallowed hard, trying to keep her body as secure as possible.

Two more sets of feet landed behind the team, blowing dust-up. Ananiel and Camael retracted their wings, walking forward, looking for their next target in battle. Just as the group began to feel safe behind Chloe's protective wall, they found enemies approaching from behind.

The wall shrunk down to a thin line, and the light dimmed as Chloe dropped her shoulders forward in depletion. Maze finally placed a hand on Chloe's back, knowing the diminished light freed her from any pain or death. "Chloe, are you okay?"

Chloe looked up the hoard of demons waiting in the distance for their return to battle. "I just-" Taking deep breaths in, Chloe searched for air. "I just need a break."

Maze impatiently shook her leg as she looked behind her at the approaching angels on the hunt for battle. "Yeah, that might be hard." Shoving the hell-forged double-headed spear into Chloe's hands, Maze forced Chloe to turn around. "You might want this."

Gripping the spear tighter in her grasp, Chloe's eyes widened, realizing they were about to be attacked on both ends.

"We need to split up!" Cassiel commanded across the group. "Maze, Chloe, Zadkiel- prepare for the demons. Rae and I will take care of this." There was no rebuttal from the team as the angels went into immediate action. Cassiel ran to Raphael's aid, pinning Remiel back, as Azrael began to block the punches Camael rained down.

It took everything in Chloe to not drop to the floor in weariness. Her eyes quickly scanned the new battle before her, and she found herself to be the latest target of one of the darkest of angels. Ananiel whipped her dreadlocks back as she picked up her pace toward Chloe. Ignoring her numb, shaky legs, Chloe stood strong, narrowing her eyes on the angel. Before a strike could be had, Gabriel landed between the two women. He twisted his body, placing all of his force in his expanded wings, and Ananiel flew back by the unexpected collision.

Retracting his wings, Gabriel looked down at the Detective. "Hi, Chloe."

"Thanks for that." Chloe's body sank in fatigue and relief as she lowered her spear. "I don't know if I could take on an angel just yet."

"Yeah, it looks like you have bigger things to deal with." He gestured his head to the land behind them, and Chloe turned around to see the stampede of demons charging once more.

A rush of adrenaline poured through Chloe's veins, and she felt her heart pump at a rapid beat. Looking to her right at Maze and her left at Zadkiel, they took their final breaths before racing back into battle.

As Cassiel slammed Remiel to the ground, Raphael stood with wide eyes staring at the army of demons rushing toward them.

Michael landed at the base of the mountain, and his smile intensified at the sight of the demons shaking the desert floor in their storm. He watched Camael fight for the first time this battle, backhanding Azrael across the face, forcing her to stumble off. Michael grimaced in amusement at the constant struggle between Ananiel and Gabriel as each gave a hit while taking a hit. He grew impressed with Remiel and her gumption as she took on both Rafael and Cassiel, but through the battle between his siblings, Michael settled his focus on Chloe. He watched her blonde ponytail whip side to side as she ran beside Maze and Zadkiel toward the wall of evil.

Charcoal colored wings blocked Michael's view as Amenadiel landed before him. There was no hesitation in the eldest angel's fists as he pelted his brother in the face with a steady hand.

Grabbing his brother by the collar, Amenadiel swung Michael out of sight, hearing his body slam against the mountain's side. Bright, white wings settled beside him, and both Lucifer and Amenadiel scanned the scene around them. Their mouths both slightly fell open at the stampede of demons rushing toward the mountains, and they felt the Earth tremble from their force.

The black clouds layered the sky above with streaks of purple lightning and deafening thunder. High winds and the ongoing battle forced the desert sands to rise into thin veils of dust, making it hard to see beyond a short distance. Everything was in blurred chaos.

Zadkiel's bright yellow form, zooming through the first wave of demons, lit the way for Chloe and Maze. Meeting at the frontline, Chloe whipped her spear around, hoping the hell-forged spears did more harm than she could see. Maze felt the blood of her victim's fate splatter across her face as she continued to drive her daggers into every target crossing her path. An angel, a demon, and a human took on over a thousand demons, and they knew there was little hope in their survival through every punch they threw.

"Fall back." Zadkiel's voice zoomed by, urging the women to bring the fight back to the angels.

By now, Chloe was in a daze as she continued to fight the enemies around her. Her body was ready to cave in on itself, but she fought the voices in her head, telling her to stop. She couldn't. Continuing the fight, Chloe took step after step backward, bringing the demons closer to the mountains in hopes the others would be ready to help.

Maze was not so lucky in her steps back. She soon found herself stuck in an impenetrable circle of demons, fighting tooth and nail, trying to find a glimmer of light. The walls continued to close in on her as her arms began to fatigue over the constant battle. Hands were grabbing her arms and legs, pulling her down onto the desert floor, and all she could see was the black clouds above until another hand covered her face.

A burst of wind cleared the space around Maze, and she opened her eyes to find Cassiel's wings surging intense waves of energy through the land. Seeing the small opening in the sea on demons, Maze sprinted back toward the mountain, reaching for her guardian angel's hand. Cassiel pulled her in, lifting them off the ground to create as much distance he could before they fought the army once more.

Michael was resilient through this battle, coming back toward his brothers with a powerful punch. Throwing a right hook, Amenadiel drove his fist into Michael's face, and he immediately ducked for Lucifer, who stood behind him, to drive his theft hook. Michael's gums and teeth began to bleed, and his eyes turned a deep shade of blue as his brothers double-teamed him.

"Decker!" Maze screamed through the commotion, stepping down from Cassiel's hold. She watched Chloe drive the spear around her head, puncturing the demon's heads around her.

Lucifer jerked his head toward the battle at the sound of her name, taking a step back from his fight with Michael. His eyes searched for her, but all he could see was the sand dusting up into the air, blinding everyone. Losing his focus, Lucifer did not see the blow coming toward his face.

Michael surpassed Amenadiel's hook, grabbing a rock from the mountain's base. Throwing his arms back for the most considerable force, Michael swung his arms around, driving the stone across the Devil's face.

Lucifer flew back as he felt his cheekbone and nose crack in excruciating pain. The back of his head slammed onto the ground, and he watched the blood he spit up by the blow fall to the sand, staining the desert a deep red. Michael lifted the rock again, striking Lucifer in the stomach, and the Devil felt the wind get knocked out of him as he curled forward in pain.

His head was pounding as the blood rushed out of him. Trying to suck in more air, Lucifer felt like he was choking as his lungs closed in on themselves. Chloe was too close for comfort, and it was working in Michael's favor.

"What, no smart ass remark? No quip about how I'm beneath you?" Michael's eyes lit up in power as the rock lifted again, wiping out Lucifer's kneecap.

The wall of demons closed in on the mountains, and the angels had no other place to go, but up. Maze and Cassiel focused their attention on the unruly evil coming toward them, and one false move made Maze lose grip on one of her daggers. The hell-forged blade slid across the sand, clinking into the side of Amenadiel's boot.

Two sets of hands played tug of war with the spear in Chloe's hands, and it was a battle she was never meant to win. Losing her only weapon and feeling her body lose all hope, Chloe felt her breath leave her body as one demon, in the form of a waitress, side kicked her in the chest, throwing her onto her back. Chloe gasped for air, stunned by the pain in her chest and rib cage. She screamed out in pain as the demons forged on, stepping on and over her body.

She was weak and unable to move. Breathing was even too much of a task for her. Chloe's eyes scanned the war around her. Maze and Cassiel fought with cuts and bruises over their bodies, and she listened to Cassiel's muffled scream "retreat!" Azrael was under the weight of her brother, frantically grabbing for the sand around her. On an ill-timed rest, Chloe watched Zadkiel come to a stop, catching his breath, and a demon's hell-forged dagger drove into his back, sliding up his spine. She witnessed the light leave his eyes as he fell to the ground, and the army of demons continued stepping over his lifeless body.

Chloe dropped her head to the side, feeling the sand grow wet from her tears. Through the stampede of feet and wild blown dust, Chloe locked eyes with Lucifer. One hundred meters away, Lucifer laid on the ground with his head falling to his side in search of her. His face was bloody and bruised, and her heart wrenched at the sight of him coughing up another string of red thick, liquid. Lucifer's hand reached out for her, knowing it could never touch her.

"No." Chloe's whisper was inaudible to even herself. The rush of demonic feet continued passed her, and there was no end in sight.

Michael watched as Lucifer looked off into the distance, reaching his arm out for help. Growing excited over the sound of his rock meeting Lucifer's soon to be broken wrist, a hand stopped him. Jerking his head to his left, Michael released a sharp breath as he felt a blade strike his stomach.

Amenadiel's eyes began to pool with tears that he could no longer control. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, brother." He dug the hell-forged dagger into his brother, forcing them to walk a few steps away from Lucifer. The rock in Michael's hands fell to the floor, and he placed his hands around Amendiel's tight grip on the blade. "I'm sorry." Amenadiel's lips trembled as he spoke, twisting the dagger to provide his brother with a quicker end. He watched as Michael's eyes fluttered, trying to hold onto the life he had, but his twisting hand ended it once and for all.

"No," Chloe whispered out again, watching Lucifer's eyes grow heavy. Taking a deep breath in, Chloe felt something stir inside of her. As her hand slid on top of her stomach, she followed the burning sensation up her chest and over her heart. Her entire body began to pulsate in a rapid rhythm, and her face began to grow hot. Chloe was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sensation. She had felt a burning in her veins before, but this was different. She felt like she was engulfed in flames, her body trapped in an unceasing inferno. Her chest heaved up off the ground as she shrieked from the pain, and as she opened her eyes, Chloe felt inferior to the power taking control of her body. She was no longer in control. She was just a vessel.

"Chloe?" Maze double looked to her side at the sight of her friend while Cassiel blocked a horde of demons with his wing, protecting the distracted teammate. "Chloe!"

The Detective stood calmly, watching the losing battle. Her skin was glowing a radiant white light, and her ocean blue eyes drowned out by blinding white pupils taking over her eyes. Thin, visible veins scattered across her face, neck, and arms, waiting to burst with light. She looked over to Lucifer, who slowly picked up his head in the distance at the sight of her, and she looked back to the stampede of demons continuing their race toward the mountain. Step by step, Chloe walked deeper into the storm, and her skin radiated beyond measure; beyond anything she managed to produce prior.

"No! What are you doing?" Maze lunged forward, struggling not to touch Chloe; struggling not to hold her back. "You can't go in there."

"I have to," Chloe spoke calmly, and a smile grew wide on her face. All of the pain that she was feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally was gone. All she felt was peace. A tear trickled down the outside of her cheek as she continued her walk. The demons in her vicinity were instantly turned to ash by the white flames beaming off her skin.

Maze shook her head, not wanting her friend to move another step. "No. Chloe, you're going to die. Stop, please." Tears began to blur Maze's vision. She was in awe of her friend's luminous light, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this was their goodbye.

"It's okay. It's going to be okay." Chloe smiled with every step that she took, the light growing more potent.

The war among angels came to a stop as everyone became mesmerized by the forming ball of light before them. Their eyes grew wide, and their mouths opened as they watched black ash float above into the dark clouds.

Amenadiel helped Lucifer to his feet, placing an arm under his shoulder for support.

"What is she doing?" Lucifer rushed forward, ready to chase after her, but Amenadiel stopped him from taking another step.

"You can't. You're hurt, Luci." Amenadiel dodged a hand from his brother as Lucifer began to fight him.

"Let me go." Being held against his wishes, Lucifer's eyes began to fill with tears of pain and worry, watching her fade from view.

The light continued to grow tall and bright.

The angels began to shield their eyes from the blinding white that started to spread across the desert floor. Cassiel pulled Maze under his wings for protection, saving her from her brothers and sisters' fate.

A thin silver silhouette of Chloe's petite figure could still be seen if anyone would dare to look. Engulfed by the light, her body disappeared.

Breaking from his hold, Lucifer began to quicken his limp ridden walk into the light, ignoring Amenadiel's screams. Shielding his eyes with his hands, Lucifer continued to follow Chloe until he was lost in white.

Amenadiel squatted down to the Earth with a hand in the air, guarding his eyes. Lucifer was nowhere in sight, swallowed by the blaze. He watched the ball of light intensify, humming as it expanded.

A deafening clap made everyone duck for cover as the white light exploded over the land. The angels continued to protect themselves through the deafening silence.

Amenadiel felt the warmth of the sunbeam down on his skin, causing him to peek up at the desert. The winds were smooth and steady, the sky was clear, and the sun shined through. He jerked his head toward Ana, who slowly stood in shock.

"I- I didn't do this." She closed her eyes, trying to manipulate the skies once more. "It's not working."

Amenadiel rubbed both of his hands over his bald head, laughing in disbelief. Black ash still scattered up to the sun, but the desert was empty of armies made of the unliving. Michael's body laid lifeless beside him, and Zadkiel's body could be seen in the distance. There was no more fighting between siblings as everyone sank to the ground in weariness. Turning to face his siblings, Amenadiel looked at each remaining warrior in shock. "We did it. We won."

The angels watched their eldest brother laugh and cry in victory as they continued to sit in anguish.

"What's wrong with you, guys? We won! We saved humanity. All of Earth's existence!" Amenadiel turned to Gabriel, waiting for someone to add to the celebration, and his brows furrowed as he watched Gabriel walk past him without a word. Raphael's eyes fell in distress as he followed his brother, and Azrael wasn't far behind. Turning around, Amenadiel's smile faded as his eyes rested to the middle of the desert.

Everyone walked in silence, not daring to make a sound.

Lucifer sat on the blistering desert sand holding Chloe in his arms, cradling her head into his chest. He gently rocked her back and forth as he moved his lips, expressing inaudible words.

Her skin had returned to its natural olive pigment, and her blue eyes glazed over, staring up into the sky. Chloe's left arm hung out of Lucifer's hold, stiff and lifeless.

As his siblings grew closer, Lucifer's whispers fell into earshot. "No. No. No. No. No. Wake up. Please, wake up. You can't leave me, not like this."

Lucifer's bloodshot eyes were encased with tears as he looked up to his brothers and sister. "Bring her back. Please, bring her back."

They stared at him with melancholic eyes and then to the ground knowing they could be no help.

"Rae-Rae, you can bring her back. You can-" Lucifer's eyes were growing frantic as he begged for his sister's help.

"You know it doesn't work like that." Azrael knelt to her brother's side, hovering a hand over Chloe's chest. "There's no soul left to save. She's moved on, Lucifer." The angel of death backed away to give her brother some privacy.

"There's got to be another way." Lucifer's eyes searched the desert floor as he rummaged through his vast knowledge of the celestial world, thinking of a loophole.

Gabriel lowered his body down, kneeling before Chloe with his chin down to his chest. Bowing his head in respect, Raphael followed suit, meeting his brother on the ground in a kneeling position. Grabbing her body through her crossed arms, Maze avoided the blue, lifeless eyes staring at her as tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Azrael bowed her head, closing her eyes as Cassiel fell to his knees, lowering his head.

Lucifer watched his brothers and sister pay tribute to Chloe's passing, one by one. "Stop. No, she can come back. Stop. She's not gone." He looked down, cupping a hand around her cheek. "She's not gone."

Amenadiel kneeled beside Lucifer, ignoring the tears falling off the edge of his chin. His fingers hovered over Chloe's face, and Amenadiel gently closed her eyelids. "She's gone, Lucifer."


	17. Eternal Flame

The air was still, and the sound of crickets chirping in the distance reminded Lucifer that he was not alone that night. Small droplets of water began to slap down against the recently disturbed Earth, and the fresh mound of dirt began to darken as the rain rested within the ground. He stood beneath an old, overgrown oak tree using the branches and leaves as a natural umbrella from the sprinkle of rain that began to pick up its pace. Lampposts were scattered across the lush land, spreading its amber light across headstones and dying flower arrangements left behind by loved ones.

Fat raindrops pelted down onto a newly marked headstone, and Lucifer watched the droplets race down the granite stone, sinking deep into the engraved letters. Chloe Jane Decker. He wanted to expand the umbrella at his side and hold it over her grave to keep her dry, but he knew it didn't matter.

Sensing movement through the desolate cemetery, Lucifer looked down at the ground, watching the toes of his Italian leather shoes meet the line of fresh dirt.

Amenadiel appeared at his brother's side, looking up to the shaking leaves above protecting them from the falling water. "We missed you today."

The grass around her grave was still matted down from the procession of friends, family, and colleagues coming together to say goodbye. Ella Lopez silently sobbed beside her imaginary friend, finding comfort in Rae-Rae, knowing she needed the shoulder to cry on. Little did Ella know, her friend was visible to the rest of the angels standing in the back row with heads lowered in reverence. Amenadiel spoke on behalf of Dan, who couldn't find the words to complete his eulogy, and Trixie ended the service by placing a single, white calla lily secured in a black, silk ribbon on top of the casket. As Chloe's body lowered into the Earth, Maze turned her back to the traumatic experience, knowing the souls that cried around Chloe's grave would one-day see her again. She did not have the same fate.

While his family and friends paid their respects, Lucifer sat on the floor of his new, empty home in Venice Beach. A bottle of 18-year-old Macallan stayed close to his lips, and the rich smelling malt scotch whiskey dribbled down onto his all-black velvet suit. He leaned his head back against the exposed brick wall, looking up the tall glass windows displaying the scattered clouds above. Lucifer wanted to be there, but everything inside him held him down to the ground, his body refusing to move. It wasn't until he saw the moon's light fight through incoming rain clouds that he felt his feet take control of his night.

The sound of rain pelting down, smacking against the leaves was a comforting noise, but his brother's presence made Lucifer recoil behind a cold wall of emotions.

"Luci, please." Amenadiel turned toward his brother, studying his face. "Talk to me."

Since their return from the desert, Lucifer remained silent, paralyzed with grief. He continued through the next week in a colorless, numb state. The angels collected their siblings, burying their bodies beside Uriel in the forest, and once Gabriel completed his tribute to each sibling, Lucifer disappeared. It had been two days since the group saw him, hoping they'd see his face again at Chloe's funeral.

Lucifer opened his mouth to speak, but he struggled to put what he was feeling into words. Closing his lips into a subtle frown, he took in a sharp breath through his nose. He cleared his throat, suppressing the heavy sob waiting to be released in the base of his throat. "I should have never come back. None of this would have happened if I had just stayed down there."

With eyes softening on his brother, Amenadiel rested a comforting hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "You're right. None of this would have happened. We wouldn't be standing here if you stayed down there. I would have had no idea what Michael was planning. Charlie could have been taken from me, from Linda. Ella could have met a darker fate. Maze would have never found closure with her mother. Chloe would have never discovered her power and potential. She would have continued life without you, and I think we can both agree she didn't want that." Amenadiel looked down at her grave, producing a weak smile at the thought of her. "Michael would have continued his plan, and this world would be obsolete."

A thin veil of tears covered Lucifer's eyes as he remembered the ending of Michael's plan; as he remembered holding her lifeless body in his arms.

"Lucifer, she did everything she could to protect this world, Trixie, you. She saved us all."

Everything his brother said was right, but it wasn't what Lucifer wanted to hear at this moment. This type of grief was something he was not prepared to experience, and it was easier to hide behind his anger and self-blame. The two brothers stood in silence as the rainfall tapered off into a drizzle.

"We're all getting together tonight in Lux to remember the ones we lost. To celebrate their lives. Come back with me, Luci. Let us be there for you."

Lucifer widened his eyes, quickly blinking away the stinging sensation. "I just want to be alone with-" He wanted to say her name as if she were standing in front of him, but he didn't need another reminder from his brother that she was gone. "I just want to be alone tonight."

Amenadiel released his consoling hand from his brother's shoulder, taking a few steps back into the shadows. "I'm here when you're ready not to be alone anymore."

The rain turned into a mist as Lucifer felt alone once more.

* * *

Her eyes scanned the empty bookcases, the stack of moving trunks, and the cold, bare walls. Linda nervously twisted her fingers, not knowing what version of Lucifer she would find as she stepped deeper into the penthouse suite. His back was to his home as he looked over his balcony, nursing a glass of whiskey. Linda squinted her eyes, meeting him in the bright, blaring sun. She gripped the railing, staring up at her patient, but he did not acknowledge her arrival.

"Your place looks so much bigger. I didn't think that was possible." She tried setting a light tone to their conversation, but he continued to stare blankly over the LA skyline. "You haven't unpacked your things. Are you still planning to move?"

His drink hovered close to his lips as he thought. "I don't know." Lucifer's voice was quiet, and monotone, but Linda accepted it as it was the most he spoke to her in over a week.

"It's okay not to know." She looked back over to the rolling hills of LA, having a deeper appreciation for her city and the Earth around her. Today was the first day in a long time that Linda left her son with a nanny, and her mind was at ease. "Amenadiel told me you visited Chloe last night. How was that?"

Lucifer slowly backed away from the balcony, and he took a seat in one of his leather chairs, pouring himself another three fingers of whiskey from the bottle on his coffee table. His therapist followed behind him, placing herself directly across from him on his leather couch. She waited for his response, but his eyes were more preoccupied with the glass in his hands. He balanced his whiskey on the edge of his knee, twisting the crystal glass to play with the light's reflection.

"I can imagine you're feeling very hurt and sad and feeling a mix of emotions you don't understand. You may feel like you can't talk to anyone. But, Lucifer, you know you can talk to me." She sat with a patient smile and soft eyes, waiting, but nothing came.

As the sunlight continued to expand its beam of light across the penthouse floor, Linda drew her eyes to the piano in the middle of the home. A thin line of dust coated the keyboard cover and the top of the grand piano. "It doesn't look like you've played the piano in a while."

"I haven't been in the mood."

"Maybe playing something will help." Linda clasped her hands together, trying to suppress the hope building up inside of her as Lucifer began to speak more.

"I can't." Lucifer stopped twisting his glass as he looked back to his favorite instrument with a look of resentment.

"Humour me."

"I know what you're trying to do, Doctor." His voice grew in anger, and his nostrils flared, causing Linda to sit more upright in her seat, interested in what he had to say.

"What am I trying to do?"

Lucifer stood up from his chair, and his feet began to pace with a mind of their own. "You're hoping a few little melodies will force me to come to terms with what's happening. How about I play a little Moonlight Sonata to allow my fingers to reflect the turmoil and sorrow you know I'm feeling. Or how about I just throw you off with a Bach Cantata. You won't even know what to do with a song like that one. Or we can just cut to the chase, and I can play some Sarah McLachlan, clear my schedule, and spend my afternoon crying on your shoulder. Are you that desperate to know what I'm feeling?"

"Yes!" Linda raised her voice as she felt the tight, tense ball growing inside of her release. She threw her arms forward, widening her eyes. "Yes. Tell me what you're feeling. Say something. Say anything!"

The tense, bitter air continued to rise between the two forces, driving Lucifer's voice to belt out in outrage. "I'm frustrated, staring at that thing." He threw out his erect thumb, listing the first emotion that came to mind as he looked over to his piano. "When I say I can't play, I can't play. I sit there and just stare at the keys with nothing coming to mind. It's as if all of my mental records have been wiped clean, so no, Doctor, I will not play you a damn song."

Lucifer flicked his pointer finger up alongside his thumb. "I'm angry at my father for ever giving the Detective the ability to be anything but human. I'm angry at Michael for starting all of this. I'm angry that I have to stare at these all day long, reminding me of a home that's not a home anymore, and that's- well, it's unfortunate, isn't it?" Lucifer's voice calmed as he stared at a stack of leather moving trunks. "And of course I'm sad. I'm sad she's not here. I'm sad I can't see her again. She can't see her daughter grow up, and now Trixie has to be raised by Daniel. I don't know what's sadder than that."

He finished the last of his drink, moving back to his leather chair for another refill. "I'm tired." The deep brown liquid ran out of the bottle and into his crystal glass. "I've gotten so used to sleeping next to her, and now my bed is much larger than I remember." He watched his reflection in the whiskey as he brought it up to his lips. "I'm waking every hour, hoping all of this was some elaborate nightmare. I'm double-checking behind every door, not knowing If I died, and this is my hell. It can drive a man crazy." Lucifer took a long sip before resting the glass in his lap, and he spoke with a soft voice. "I miss her."

"I know." Linda bit her tongue as she watched Lucifer shrink smaller before her. She was wearing her therapist hat, but it took everything in her not to rush to his side and wrap her arms around him.

"And through all of this numbing pain and self-hatred, I-"

"Why do you hate yourself, Lucifer?" Linda's fingers gripped into her legs harder, wanting to make his pain disappear.

"Everything that she went through was because of me. I brought her into this part of my world. I ignited her. I'm the one who told her not to give up when she wanted to choose to be just human. And I-" His lips began to tremble as he watched a teardrop into his cup.

"And you think you killed her?" Tilting her head to the side, she watched Lucifer jerk his head up, surprised by her words. The same words that loomed in the back of his mind. "Chloe chose to be with you, and she knew what she would be sacrificing to have that life with you. She chose to embrace her powers. She chose to protect everyone. She sacrificed her one life for everyone else." A few minutes of silence passed as Linda watched her words sink deeper, but Lucifer's face was hard to read.

Lucifer quickly brushed away a tear, refusing to move down his cheek with his sleeve. He lifted his last fifth finger on his right hand, releasing a small, whisper into the silent void. "A part of me is happy, how sick is that?"

Linda inched her body toward the edge of her seat as she leaned forward, urging him to continue.

His eyes rolled up, looking beyond the high-vaulted ceilings to the Silver City. "I know where she is now. I know she's with her dad." Lucifer's lips grew into a tense, tight smile as he felt his eyes sting again. "I know she's safe, and that's more than I could ask for, isn't it?" His lips trembled back a sob as he waited for Linda to agree, but she just stared back tenderly.

"Lucifer, your father is still here." She watched him shake his head in refusal. "You can still ask him-"

"I'm done with my father, once and for all. You were there, weren't you, Doctor? You watched me beg like some desperate sap at his feet. He refused to bring her back." Lucifer could feel the wrath grow inside of him, and his eyes turned a fiery red at the memory of returning after the war. "He didn't create Chloe out of the goodness of his heart. Not for me. She was his plan B. She was just another pawn in his game- to save his precious project. So, forgive me if I'm not too keen on asking my father for favors at this moment."

Linda nodded her head while listening to his pride take over, waiting for the flames in his eyes to disappear. She watched his chest drop from intense heaves to a gentle rise and fall with his calming breath. Feeling her phone buzz beside her, Linda scanned her new message, and a small smile crept on her face. "Your siblings are leaving soon. I think they would appreciate seeing you before they go."

Exposing his tight jawline, Lucifer looked back to his balcony, avoiding his therapist's gaze. "I think I'd rather finish the bottle."

Linda slowly closed her eyes, having it hurt to watch Lucifer revert to the closed-off Devil she met so many years ago. Standing up, Linda slid her hands down her pants to release the wrinkles, and she made her way toward the elevator. "We will be downstairs if you happen to change your mind." She stopped at the piano, running her long, pointer finger along the dusty surface. Looking back over her shoulder, Linda popped the keyboard cover up and watched Lucifer force himself not to look back in her direction.

He waited for the elevator doors to close before creeping his eyes over to the black and white keys. Removing himself from his chair, Lucifer paced around the piano's stool, inhaling vexed sips of his whiskey, trying to understand why this was so difficult. He slammed his drink down on the edge of the piano, and he kicked the stool out, waiting for something to come to mind. His hands rested on his lap as he stared off at portions of his reflection through the dust-filled surface.

Lucifer closed his eyes, and his single pointer finger played one key at a time, hoping something would jog his memory, and the musical notes would naturally come flowing to him. His finger landed on B, and Chloe's face flashed before him in the darkness. Quickly opening his eyes, Lucifer stared down at his piano keys, remembering a familiar tune.

He closed his eyes, seeing her face staring back at him in a crowded bar. Her bright, blue eyes shined a smile back at him while she cupped her face in disbelief. Like a child learning to play for the first time, Lucifer's staccato pointer finger pressed down on each key individually, creating a short melody. His voice cracked into a whisper as he spoke the lyrics- a subtle tune forming in his words.

"I believe it's meant to be, darling." He swallowed hard, continuing the song on the piano with a single finger. "I watch you when you are sleeping. You belong with me." Lucifer closed his eyes, seeing her face once more. "Do you feel the same? Am I only dreaming…" He exhaled a long breath, feeling a tear balance on the edge of his eyelid. "... or is this burning an eternal flame?" His finger stopped the melody as it felt weighted down, dragging off the keyboard into his lap. Lucifer dropped his head, sitting in the deafening silence, feeling his heart and chest ache in indescribable pain.

* * *

"Are you sure he's not coming?" Raphael's voice was low as he cranked his neck back to speak to Linda, who sat in the booth behind him.

Linda simply shrugged in response as she looked back to the main entrance of Lux. The nightclub had become a meeting space to the celestials outside of its usual hours, but today was the last time they would all convene together.

God had taken center stage, pacing the dance floor as the group sat, spread out in the booths. Ananiel, Camael, and Remiel sat on their knees at the base of the bar with heads bowing down to their father, waiting for their sentence. The angels had been under Gabriel's watch, digging the graves for the brothers and sister they lost. They found their powers to be limited on Earth by their father's doing.

"Ananiel and Camael will return to the City." God's voice resonated above the group's heads.

Gabriel sat up outraged. "Father, you can't be serious."

"I am. They admitted defeat quickly, and I believe their acts were not genuine. They have not acted out before this, and I trust that providing a second chance to my children will not be in vain." God produced cold, warning eyes toward his two children, who remained focused on the floor beneath them, accepting their fate. "I will have new jobs assigned for each when we return."

"And her?" Raphael stared down in disgust at Remiel, hoping she would not receive the same forgiveness as his other siblings.

God stepped forward, holding out a hand for his daughter to take. He lifted her to her feet, and she stared back at him with timid eyes. "Remiel, you took the life of another angel. You took the life of a fellow sister. A sister who protected life on this Earth until her very last breath."

"Father, I-" Remiel's quick pleading came to an end as her father raised his palm, forcing her to stop talking.

"Your apologies will not be accepted here. You are to not return home with your siblings. Rather, you will spend your remaining years here on Earth, living among the humans you seem to despise." He clasped his hands behind his back, watching his daughter come to terms with her punishment.

"Yes, Father."

"I am not finished. You will have no angelic powers here, nor eternal life. You will learn to appreciate the world around you, every change in weather, every human you interact with, every breath you take. You will adapt to humanity running through your veins, and you will feel every emotion, as uncomfortable as it can be. You will think of your sister, you will remember the feeling of your lance piercing through her body, and you will be riddled with guilt. What you do with your life will shape where you end up upon your last breath, but I can say with certainty, at this moment, you are not fated to return home. What is waiting for you in the afterlife is much darker. Are we understood?"

It was difficult for Remiel to swallow back the fear and anxiety that came with her sentence as she nodded in agreement. She could feel her siblings' eyes narrow on her, agreeing with her rightful punishment.

"And what's to prevent her from creating chaos anyways? I mean, if she knows she's going to end up in Hell, why not go out with a big bang?" Maze was the only one who refused to take a seat. She leaned her body against the booth beside Amenadiel, her eyes growing hungry with desire at the thought of making Remiel's human life a living hell on Earth.

God patiently turned around, and he directed his stare toward his eldest son. "Amenadiel will stay here on Earth as it is his rightful home."

Linda squeezed Amenadiel's forearm in an excited, relieving way as he perked up in his seat.

"Charlie deserves to grow up with his father and mother beside him. I trust Amenadiel will not only teach his son the beauty and appreciation for humanity, but he will watch over this world as a protector." God bowed his head toward his son, and his eyes smiled in Linda's direction.

The main door to Lux creaked open and slow footsteps brought everyone's attention to the stairwell. Lucifer appeared with bloodshot eyes and an empty bottle in his hand as he made his way down the steps. "Don't stop on my account. Just here for a quick refill." He shook the bottle in his hand for emphasis and made his way around the bar. Throwing the bottle into a bin, Lucifer began to rummage on the shelves for a fresh whiskey bottle.

His brothers and sister sat up, their eyes tracking his every movement. They didn't know what to say to him or how to console him as it was out of their comfort zone. Each angel looked to one another, waiting for someone to say something, but their father continued.

"The rest of you will return home or continue your rightful duties."

Cassiel apprehensively raised his hand before his father continued down his list of agenda items. "All of us?" He grew nervous as he felt his siblings turn around to stare at him with teasing, all-knowing smiles.

"Do you have an alternative in mind, son?"

"Well, I-" He looked around the Lux nightclub, appreciating the memories he already gained in such a short time. "- I thought I could stick around a little longer." His eyes kept unintentionally falling back on Maze. "Amenadiel, probably wouldn't mind the company, I could help out with Lux, and it would give me some more time to appreciate the land you created, father."

Gabriel leaned over to his brother, keeping his voice low. "Kiss ass."

Cassiel jabbed his older brother in the ribcage, feeling his cheeks turn red in embarrassment. He watched as his father furrowed his brows in deep thought.

"I suppose I do not have an issue with you being here for a short time, as long as it would not interfere with your duties at home, but this is not your establishment. Your help is only warranted here if it is welcomed. Mazikeen?" God politely smiled in Maze's direction, and he watched her jerk her head up in surprise.

It was the first time he had spoken her name. Maze had gotten used to him ignoring her, calling upon her by her race and making rather than dignify her with a name. Maze looked over to Cassiel, and she hoped the burning sensation in her cheeks remained hidden behind her light cocoa skin. Clearing her throat, Maze shrugged as if she didn't have a care in the world. "It's whatever." She forced her hard exterior shell to suppress a smile from forming on her lips.

"Then, it is settled. Cassiel will stay here with Amenadiel until it is his time to return."

Linda watched Lucifer look at an empty cup in one hand and a bottle in the other. Placing the cup back down, Lucifer sucked on the bottle's rim, and bubbles surfaced as he chugged down the brown liquid, whipping his mouth with the back of his hand. He leaned forward, watching his father's back with distant eyes, and Linda sat up at a new, alarming thought. "What about the demons? Hell? Someone needs to make sure they can't get out again, right?" Linda quickly looked around, hoping someone would raise their hand as a tribute.

God slowly nodded his head to the involuted question. "Lucifer is to return to-"

Outrage cried from one booth as Amenadiel, Linda, and Maze refused to let God finish his sentence.

"That's bull shit." Maze stood taller, pulling one of her daggers out in an aggressive style.

"No, no, no." Linda shook her head, not wanting her friend to leave them once more and quickly regretting her question.

"This isn't right, father. You know he does not belong down there. He doesn't deserve this." Amenadiel felt his chest naturally puff out in anger as he slammed a finger down onto the table.

God held up a hand to silence the group and continue his ruling, but a small chuckle silenced everyone in the room. Lucifer's chuckle turned into a hearty laugh as he took another swig from the bottle.

"I wish- I really wish I could say I'm surprised." Lucifer licked a remaining drop of whiskey off of his bottom lip.

God turned back to his audience, ignoring Lucifer's laughter. "There has only been one ruler assigned to the underworld, and that is Lucifer. No one sat on that throne before him, and no one should after. He is the only one who can truly reign over the demons, to properly punish his guilty siblings stuck below, and he is the one that I trust to ensure a war like this would never happen again."

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he laughed to himself, thinking of all the good deeds he had done and how none of them pleased his father to this day.

"I did not assign Samael to rule Hell as punishment, but because it was his rightful duty. He is a leader; he is the light in the darkness; he is the rightful king."

Amenadiel looked to his brothers and sister sitting opposite the dance floor, his eyes pleading with his words. "How can you let this happen?"

Gabriel held a finger up to his eldest brother to make him wait, and he pointed back to their father, waiting for him to continue.

"But it will be different now." God turned around to face Lucifer, who looked sarcastically surprised.

"Oh, let me guess, you're going to pitch in a flat-screen? Perhaps a new memory foam mattress?"

"Samael, Hell may be your duty, but it is not your home, not anymore. You are not doomed to rule for eternity. Not alone, at least. You are to serve two Earth years in which you may travel to Earth and visit for no longer than a day's time. In return, you will receive one year off to do whatever you please. Your siblings will volunteer their time to step in for you until you are called back to work. Gabriel has graciously volunteered his time first."

Lucifer narrowed his eyes on his father, looking over to his siblings, smiling eagerly back at him, happy to find the best situation possible for him. "No. I don't buy it."

"I'm giving you the best alternative, son." God stepped forward with open palms, hoping his stubborn angel would let him finish.

"Are you? Because it sounds like to me, I'll be spending most of my time in Hell. I'm curious, where is it that you'd think this home is for me?"

God's eyes scanned the Lux nightclub before rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, his head following his gaze up. As he opened his mouth, Lucifer interrupted with a harsh voice.

"Here? In Lux? In my penthouse? Now, you've come to terms with Earth being my home?" Lucifer shook his head in disbelief, scoffing as he took another sip from his bottle. He turned to Raphael as he heard his brother speak up from one of the booths.

"Just hear him out, Lucifer."

"Right now, this is the last place I want to be." Lucifer's face was hardened with the pain and agony sweeping through his body. Everywhere he went, everywhere he looked, he saw a memory of Chloe. It was too painful living alongside a ghost of her, and he knew of only one place to rest his soul. "I rescind your offer. I'll save my siblings from a year that I know they're really not looking forward to, and I accept the original terms I was so deserving of, father. Send me to Hell once and for all."

"Lucifer, you don't mean that," Linda spoke out, her voice urgently calling after him. She knew he was acting impulsively, trying to run away from everything he was feeling. She knew he would regret this decision once he was alone.

"I do. It's the only place I can get away from him." Lucifer pointed a finger at his father as he made his way from around the bar. He stood a few inches away from his father, staring at him with such loathing in his eyes. "No more being a pawn in your plans, no more hurting the people around me- manipulating them. That's all this was, right? To keep me at bay? Well, here's your chance to get what you always wanted. The Lightbringer, the son you trust most, will finally be a devil of his word and stay away from here for good. My retirement's over, send me back."

Amenadiel knew this was because his brother continued to blame himself for the recent events. Lucifer believed he needed to be punished for what happened to Chloe. He watched Lucifer's pain speak for him, and he quickly shook his head, hoping his father wouldn't change his mind.

Lucifer's fists were shaking at this side while tears sat above his cheeks. "Michael took all the glory in sending me before. Now's your chance, father. Send me back."

God watched his son's eyes slowly turn from hate to heartbreak to desperation. "Is that what you truly want?"

Lucifer quickly looked over to his family and friends, giving them one final glance. He graced Linda with a small smile and a nod to Amenadiel. A tear fell from his cheek as his eyes rested on Maze, who tried to hold back her own tears as she shook her head, not wanting him to leave. Looking over to his siblings on the other side, he released a short laugh. "Until the next apocalypse." Lucifer turned back to his father, nodding his head. "Send me to where I belong."

Holding his son's cheek in his hand, God smiled down on his son. "As you wish."

* * *

A flash of blinding, white light threw Lucifer off balance, and he felt for stability as his feet continued to move. His hands clung to a wall in front of him as his feet found a firm landing on the ground. Opening his eyes, he looked around and found himself in an enclosed elevator lit in amber light. The floor continued to move, dropping his stomach with every level reached, and a small ding made him quickly turn around to watch the doors part.

Lucifer's eyes wildly scanned the home around him as he stepped out of the elevator. A bar with glass shelves staggering up the two-story-high walls was lit in a deep blue, and the bottles of top-shelf whiskey and scotch were filled to the brim. The large, wooden dining room table was staged for, what looked like, a romantic dinner for two. A navy blue, velvet runner, ran down the middle of the table with white china plates and empty wine glasses waiting to be filled.

He looked to his left to find floating bookshelves filled with an array of books, scaling up the exposed brick wall and a ladder to reach the highest shelf. Overgrown tropical greens hung at different lengths from the second-story balcony that led to two bedrooms. His nose brought him deeper into the home, and Lucifer found himself in the kitchen, looking down at the oversized marble island. Red pots and pans were simmering food on the stovetop, and he could see the steam file out of the glass lids. The smell made Lucifer naturally relax as he took in the garlic, butter, and rosemary.

Just as he placed a hand on the lid to see what was cooking, ocean waves pulled his attention toward the living room. A large leather sectional sat in the middle of the room, focusing on the double-sided stone fireplace. Lucifer scanned the vinyl records sorted beside a vintage record player, and he made his way over to the grand piano, glimmering in the sun's light. Confused, Lucifer rubbed a hand along the smooth surface while looking around. The patio's folding doors were wide open, and he could feel a breeze sweep through the room.

Lucifer stepped out onto the balcony, looking over the ocean. The sun hung low as if it were stuck in a sunset that lasted forever, and the world was stained in a blush orange. He gripped the railing, wrapping his fingers around the black metal balcony as anger began to turn inside of him. This was his hell loop. Lucifer looked up toward the sky, shaking his head, knowing it was the perfect punishment. He was destined to be stuck in the home he could never have with her, with constant reminders that he was meant to be alone. His body suddenly froze in offputting fear as he sensed movement from behind.

"And look who's back."

He slowly turned around, recognizing her voice. Lucifer took a step back at the sight of her, and he tilted his head to the side, studying her face.

Chloe reached her arm out with a scotch in hand, waiting for him to accept it. "It's about time you got here."

He naturally took the glass from her, stepping forward to look at her more closely. Chloe looked different to him. She no longer had lines from frowning or furrowing her brows. Her hair was in soft, looser curls are her face, and there was almost a radiating light shining off of her. There was no more doubt or worry in her eyes. Chloe had her guard down entirely, and the soft, natural smile she wore made Lucifer quickly blink as he thought he was imagining her.

Her blue eyes searched his, waiting for him to speak, but he stood there speechless. Lucifer waited for her to speak cruel things, reminding him he was truly in Hell. He waited for her to tell him that she never loved him, that she blamed him for her death, that it was his fault she couldn't be with her daughter. Instead, Chloe just smiled with loving eyes, and he felt an overwhelming sense of peace run through him, hushing the negative voices in his mind. She began to blur before him as he teared up.

She watched his eyes pool with water, and his lips began to tremble. "Lucifer." Chloe's voice was soft as she took the drink out his hand. She held her hands around his jawline, her fingers sliding down to the base of his neck. He closed his eyes, feeling a touch he thought he lost forever. Chloe rubbed away a tear rolling down his cheek, finding her eyes water at the sight of him in pain. "Hey, hey, look at me. Talk to me."

"I'm not in Hell, am I?"

Chloe found herself laughing through a soft sob. "No. No, Lucifer." She shook her head softly, washing away another tear on his cheek. "You're back home. Your dad welcomed you back home."

He opened his eyes in surprise as he looked around him, and Chloe began to laugh as she watched him try to find his words. "I don't understand. He was going to send me back down there. I'm not supposed to be here."

Her teeth shined a bright smile as she watched his darkness fade away into awestruck eyes. "I think Gabriel is letting you start your vacation early."

Lucifer sniffled back whatever sadness lingered in the back of his throat as he cupped her face in his hands. "You know?"

"I do. It's an amazing feeling- knowing. Like, I know Trixie's going to be okay." She looked off with a smile on her face feeling her heart grow warm over the thought of her daughter. "I knew you'd come back here. I knew you'd come home."

Lucifer smiled at how peaceful and happy she looked. His thumb caressed her smooth cheek as she looked back to him. He felt his body go through a whirlwind of emotions as he came to terms with being back to the place he was banned from eons ago, but his heart slowed its pace as he focused on her. "Detective, I-"

"I missed you, too." Chloe pulled his neck down to close the gap between their lips into a soft and tender kiss. Their lips grew tight as they continued to smile between their kisses, laughing in disbelief that they were together once again. Pulling away, Chloe and Lucifer kept their eyes closed as their foreheads touched, reveling in their embrace.

Taking a long sigh, Chloe stepped back, drawing her hands down his arms, over his palms, and back to her sides. The frozen golden hour shined on her playful smile. "I thought that now that I have all of eternity in this place." She widened her arms out to show off their decorated home, and her smile shined brighter. "I can finally take the time to learn a song or two."

She took a few steps back, enjoying the view of Lucifer on the balcony, experiencing the relief of seeing him home with her. Sitting herself down on the piano's bench, Chloe sucked in her lips in deep concentration as her middle finger played out the keys of "Heart and Soul." She looked back up at Lucifer, who stood frozen, watching her in the orange light. "Are you going to play with me or just stare at me like some perv?"

An ocean's breeze swept past Lucifer's wet cheeks- cheeks that began to feel stiff and stale from the smile he wore. He looked up at his home, furnished perfectly to his and her taste, and his smile grew wider as Chloe repeated her keys once more. All of the pain and doubt that he experienced since she left just disappeared. His shoulders relaxed, feeling the same peace Chloe wore so proudly. Lucifer walked over to the piano, taking a seat beside Chloe. His fingers naturally found their positioning between the black keys, and the songs he was so desperate to remember suddenly came back to him.

Shoulder to shoulder, they looked at one another and back down to the piano. Lucifer cleared his throat as his fingers found their home on the proper keys. "From the top."


End file.
